


Reflections

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess), Shatterpath



Series: Reflections [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Femslash, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-22
Updated: 2012-04-16
Packaged: 2017-11-02 08:53:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 160,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The SGC gets two new recruits who immediately begin to change some established dynamics… Things just get weirder from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Day

**Author's Note:**

> Category: Yet another mirror universe for the SGC.
> 
> Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and all their characters belong to MGM, Showtime and Gekko Productions. But I think we all knew that, hmm? Art and Cooper (and any other newcomers) are mine.
> 
> Notes: All words in _italics_ are phonetic foreign words, mostly Greek.
> 
> Spoilers: References aplenty to the majority of the third season here! Consider yourselves warned…

++ Sergeant Goldston ++

(2-24-99)

It was so farfetched that I was still not certain I believed it. Despite the thorough background check for the top-secret security clearance, the extremely sober debriefing from my last commander and the thick file in my lap signed by the president himself. Wearily, I smoothed fingers over my neatly slicked-back curls and flashed my partner a wry glance. Those fathomless dark eyes immediately met mine and gave me strength. “Well Cooper, we said we wanted to do something different. This sure as hell qualifies.”

He merely snorted in reply. The Hum-vee took yet another sharp mountain curve and I wondered just how far we had driven in the dark. Then, at last, there was a glow of lights nearby that eventually revealed a small compound. This of course was the entrance to the far more interesting goings-on far below. Efficiently, my driver parked the big vehicle and scrambled to collect my few things. “Do you need a hand Sergeant?”

“No sir. As long as you have the bags, we can manage.”

A stern-eyed man marked as a Captain was striding over with two heavily armed fellows flanking him. “Lieutenant?”

“This is the new recruit, sir.”

“You Sergeant Goldstone?”

Dammit, I hated it when people added an ‘e’ to my name… 

“Yes sir. Here’s my identification.”

Painstakingly, I propped the cane under my hand and levered my protesting body out of the Hum-vee. The three guards gave my partner raised eyebrows but no comment.

“Come over to the shack so that we can verify all of this.”

“Yes sir.”

In the shack, one of the guards surreptitiously hooked me a chair with his foot before taking his position at the door. Good thing too, for it seemed my arrival was a bit of a shock to somebody on the other end of the Captain’s phone call. I sat there for some time with Cooper pressed up comfortingly against my hip.

++ General Hammond ++

When the phone on my desk rang, I eyed it balefully. There were times I loathed picking it up, never knowing what was going to be on the other end. But the moment was a predictably short one and I snatched up the receiver on the second ring. “Hammond here.”

“Sir. This is Captain Jansen up at the shack. We have a Sergeant Goldstone here with authorization papers from the Pentagon. She’s out of Eisenhower Army Medical at Fort Gordon.”

“Army?”

Then I suddenly realized who it must be. Why did it not surprise me that the Joint Chiefs had perversely sent me an Army dogface? Oh well, she would make an interesting addition to all the jarheads and flyboys around here. Before I could respond to Jansen, I spotted Colonel O’Neill wandering through the Control room. “Hang on for a moment Captain, I need to get someone else involved in this.”

His ‘yes sir’ was lost as I set down the phone and went to my door to flag down the CO of my number one team.

“Colonel O’Neill, I need to see you for a moment.” While he approached, I returned to phone to finish up with Jansen. “Does everything seem to be in order? Excellent, take care of it.”

Cursing the fates for sending the new kid on a day where I was up to my chin in paperwork from the recent Goa’uld-Earth-Asgard conference, I returned my attention to O’Neill. He stood there with that sharply alert, almost cocky expression on his face that was characteristically on the fine line of being insubordinate. It was everything I abhorred and respected in the younger man.

“You wanted to see me General?”

“We have a new recruit that I want SG1 to handle personally. Particularly Major Carter. Have your team in the briefing room in twenty minutes. Oh, and can you inform Doctor Fraiser that I’ll need her there as well?”

“Yes sir.”

It was said reluctantly, a thousand questions behind the two words. But I had no time to play twenty questions with Jack. He left quietly as I began to rifle through my files, desperate now to find the packet they had sent me from Lackland AFB in Texas. Once I had found the papers, I realized what my mistake had been. Since she had received her specialized training at an Air Force base, I had assumed she was in that branch. Oh well, if everything that came out of her background check was true, she could handle being the only Army personnel here. The first few pages were her duty roster, decorations and tours of duty. Beneath was a brief overview of her and her partner’s medical histories, both relatively empty until the recent accident. It still made me wince at what the woman had been put through. But what had really won her the position here was the psyche file. She was sharp, adaptable, witty and she and Cooper had proven they were willing to die for one another. Glancing at the clock, I knew I needed to get moving if I was to greet them both.

++ Sergeant Goldston ++

I was growing bored and pained until a young Lieutenant opened the door and I could catch the tail end of Captain Jansen’s conversation. “Yes sir, her ID checks out …yes sir, I’ll send her right down.” My thick ID packet was handed back to me so I could return it to the small bag slung at my side. “Lieutenant Baker will take you to the main level. The General is waiting for you. Welcome to Cheyenne Mountain.”

“Thank you sir.”

My salute was still off from the tight scars across my chest and belly. But at least the cane made it obvious I was a cripple and the Captain made no comment on my sloppy salute. Cooper was instantly under my other hand as I painfully regained my feet. Baker turned out to be the nice fellow who had gotten me the chair and he led me into the yawning concrete arch of the Cheyenne Mountain Facility. After a few more security checks of my possessions and person, I was tired out yet again and sagged against the wall of the big elevator.

“You okay Sergeant?”

“Yes sir. I just tire easily.”

“He’s a real handsome devil.”

Beside me, Cooper uncertainly began to wag his tail at the compliment. My canine partner was my strength and my sanity ever since the Army paired me off with him almost six years ago. I honestly believed the accident would have killed me if not for him. We dropped hundreds of feet beneath the NORAD level and I wished I’d had time to read the briefing packet more thoroughly. There had been something in there about the SGC facility being a thousand feet underground. For the next leg, I was handed off to a stone-faced Marine who probably resented the hell out of being demoted to a mere bellhop. Especially to an Army Sergeant E6 with a cane and an oversized German Shepherd in hand.

When at last we finished our decent into the bowels of the mountain, the Marine set out down the reinforced concrete and steel hallway, walking far too fast, of course. Rather than get upset, I let him go and trusted Cooper’s fine nose would take me to him. I rounded a corner and a young woman in Air Force semi-dress blues stared at my partner in shock. With a hesitant grin, she took note of my Army markings before uncertainly moving away. There were others we passed, a strange conglomeration of researchers and warriors, but all of them with a heartening sense of purpose. The seeming insanity of this whole thing was finally beginning to recede. Maybe I hadn’t lost my mind in the hospital after the accident. Maybe, just maybe, this whole ‘Stargate’ Project really was true.

Cooper led me to a steep metal staircase at the back of a busy control center and I scowled. “Figures. _The-eh mou (My god)_ I’m tired.”

By the time I reached the top, I was shaking with fatigue and desperately needed to rest. There was a big, formal briefing room and an enormous bank of windows that looked out over the upper levels of the control center. Beyond that was a gigantic blast shield that looked as though it had been cut right from the belly of a Navy Destroyer. What could that massive chunk of hardware be protecting? Then I realized with a start that it must be shielding the actual Stargate itself. Suddenly, Cooper’s change of body language told me I was no longer alone.

“Sergeant Goldston? I’m General George Hammond. Welcome to Stargate Command.” Properly intimidated by his rank, I reflexively snapped into formal mode and gave a proper salute. Unfortunately, the effort pretty much doubled me over in agony. Sympathy and compassion ghosted across the General’s face and he waved me into one of the comfy chairs. Bless the man, not only did he say my name correctly, but he was compassionate as well. “Sit down soldier, before you fall down. I know what happened so you can relax. The others will be here any moment now.”

As though conjured up by his voice, two fatigue-clad men filed into the room followed by two more figures. First was a cynical-looking older man with eyes like a hawk who was pointedly ignoring the younger fellow dogging his heels.

“But Jack, all evidence points to the cartouches belonging to a far older language group… oh, sorry General, I didn’t realize we had company.”

He radiated an almost child-like fascination with the world around him that made me smile. The expression was quickly and briefly returned. The first man, marked as a Colonel, rolled his eyes expressively and made for the chairs across from me. Behind them was an enormous bear of a man that carried himself like an archaic, formal warrior and had the countenance of an exotic statue carved in ebony. For a moment I worried that the General hadn’t received my instructions until the lanky blonde behind the big man yanked the door closed and bumped into him hard enough to earn a speculative eyebrow. 

“Sorry,” was spoken sheepishly in a distinctively feminine voice and the last person was revealed as an attractive woman with unguarded blue eyes that was all at odds with the Major’s leaves on her epaulets. Hope she didn’t play poker. _The-eh mou (My god)_ there was a lot of brass in this pit. When I moved to stand, General Hammond pinned me with a steely glance.

“Stay put. You’re excused from standing up and saluting two superior officers due to your medical history. This is my lead team, SG1. Colonel Jack O’Neill, Doctor Daniel Jackson, Teal’c and Major Samantha Carter. This is Staff Sergeant Artemis Goldston, of the K9 corps. The Army was kind enough to assign her to us for some experiments.”

“Experiments? K9 corps?”

That was Colonel O’Neill. Four pairs of eyes rested on me and I made a quick gesture to Cooper where he lay on the floor beside me. They looked startled when he heaved himself up to plant big front paws on the pristine tabletop. “My partner, Cooper. He’s the real talent, I’m just the translator.”

Before anyone could comment, another party entered the room. “Sorry General, I had a difficult time pulling myself away from something.”

“That’s alright doctor.” Now this pretty little doctor caught my eye. With a cock of his proud head, Cooper let me know that I wasn’t the only one. She looked a little disconcerted by the presence of a dog as the General waved off her apology. She was absently introduced as Captain Janet Fraiser and fathomless sable eyes looked me over with sharp intelligence and closely contained energy glittering in their depths. She sat beside Carter as Hammond began to explain why Cooper and I were there. “Before the recent intergalactic summit here, I was presented with several new ideas relating to the Stargate Project. Some have already been implemented, as you all know. Using trained animals was dismissed at the time, but I’ve done some research since then and decided it was worth a try. We know that dogs have sensory abilities we can’t match. It just took a little time to find the right candidate.”

I was so fascinated by the group of very different people at the table around me that a long silence hung in the air before I caught on that I was supposed to jump in now. Embarrassed, I colored lightly and cleared my throat. They were kind enough not to laugh, but I did see a few discrete smiles. “Sorry General sir. Cooper and I are highly trained in both patrol work and explosives detection. I’m not entirely certain what will be required of us, but Cooper is an incredibly smart animal. He has a few mild quirks, but General Hammond accommodated the first one quite nicely.”

“Quirks?”

I flashed my best friendly grin in response to O’Neill’s question and earned a warm smile in return.

“Cooper always gets a little nervous around a new place, but I’ve discovered something that puts him at ease very quickly. He likes to be introduced to a few of the ladies first.” Now everybody smiled except the oddly tattooed Teal’c. Wasn’t he the one from another world? _Sto dheeahvalo (Damn)_ , I wish I’d been able to read more of that fragging file… “It’s nothing personal, he passed up a half-dozen far more qualified male Handlers before bonding with me. So Captain Fraiser, Major Carter, if you’d do us the honors.”

“This is different,” Fraiser muttered and Carter chuckled as they stepped around the table. The blonde woman was fairly tall and intelligence and enthusiasm radiated from her. Cooper dropped to all fours as I carefully got onto my knees and Fraiser’s gaze sharpened. “You’re hurt.”

“Past tense. Okay Major, since you’re in pants, you get to go first. Kneel down.”

I knew I had cut the doctor off, but I wasn’t going to get into my medical history right here. Carter was obviously highly amused by this whole thing as she dropped onto one knee and Cooper’s interest sharpened. He knew this ritual. I only introduced him to really important people on our knees. It was weird, but it worked. “Closer Major, we don’t bite. Captain, why don’t you take a seat so he can ignore you for the time being.”

“Okay.”

When the petite doctor was halfway into her seat, Cooper did something totally unexpected.

He growled at them.

As everyone in the room froze in shock and alarm, I realized that he had specifically growled at Major Carter. Instantly, I threw my arms around his thick neck and felt the tension in his body.

“What is it Cooper? _Fovahseh (are you afraid)_? Then he did something even more shocking, at least to me. He whined plaintively, a frightened, confused sound. The pointed ears flickered uncertainly and he shifted restlessly from foot to foot. “Uh, Major, he’s… I don’t think he’s afraid exactly, but there’s something about you he can’t figure out. Any ideas?”

Then Cooper sniffed the air with canine deliberateness and his head swung around under my chin to snarl in truly perplexed menace at Teal’c. Now I was growing concerned he might listen to some animal instincts he never displayed unless I was in immediate danger.

“Interesting that he singled you two out,” Fraiser mused as she watched Cooper peel his lips back away from white teeth.

“Hardly the word I’d use,” O’Neill scowled back.

Quickly Fraiser explained what was on her mind. “It must be the Goa’uld he senses. Why else would he single Teal’c out? And you Sam.”

Carter flinched when Fraiser leaned over to lay a hand on the back of her neck. At last General Hammond jumped into the conversation. “Teal’c, please wait outside until we can figure out a way to safely introduce you to the dog.”

“Of course General Hammond.”

With stately ease, Teal’c calmly stood and stepped out into the hall. Instantly, Cooper calmed significantly and pressed into me, whining for reassurance. Everyone and everything faded away as I responded to his need. “Oh Cooper, it’s okay, just relax. Everything will be fine…” I knew it was more my tone and not my words that he needed, but I was shaken too. After a long moment, I asked a question without taking my eyes off my partner. “Is Teal’c one of these Goa’uld I read about?”

“Sort of,” Jackson mused. “He carries a larval Goa’uld in a special chamber in his body. Maybe that’s what Cooper sensed.”

“Okay,” I said in that I-don’t-understand-but-I’ll-trust-you tone and pinned Carter with a fierce look. “But what about you?”

Uncomfortably, she glanced back at Fraiser and then her teammates. “He couldn’t possibly be that astute, could he?”

“I dunno Carter,” O’Neill mused. “Dog’s sense of smell is amazing. Maybe he can pick up on… you know.”

I was so in over my head here. Wary and curious, Cooper sniffed the air in Carter’s direction as the doctor leaned over the larger woman. “The Colonel has a good point. Jolinar’s protein marker changed your chemical makeup. Cooper might be sensing that.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the blazing blue eyes bore into mine. She had that same haunted look I get when I have to talk about the terrorist’s grenade that nearly took my life not so very long ago. “The Goa’uld are a parasitic symbiote that require a human host.” I vaguely remembered reading that and not really believing it. Then my eyes rounded in comprehension and she haltingly continued. “It was very temporary, but the… experience left me with several… physiological changes after she died.”

By the tight strain in her voice, that was the proverbial understatement of the year and I shook off my shock and lingering creepy-crawlies. What exactly did being a host entail? I had a feeling I wouldn’t like the answer. So I gestured the now sober woman closer. “Okay, so your smell is funny and you’re not a threat. We can deal with that, but you need to come right over here next to me.”

Forcing down the obvious anguish in her eyes, Carter shifted closer to my side until our knees and boots just touched. I studied her thoughtfully while continuing to keep my hold around Cooper’s tense neck. How to prove to my canine partner that she was okay? I gave my superior officer a sheepish grin. “I haven’t had to deal with something like this before ma’am. I mean, people smell different, but this is the first time he’s been aggressive to someone who honestly doesn’t mean me any harm. I’m trying to figure out how to prove that to his doggy brain.”

We girls smiled at one another as O’Neill’s voice chimed in, “so he needs a gesture of trust from you.”

“Exactly sir, but I have to admit I’m at a loss.”

“C’mon Carter, get friendly. He’s a dog, remember that.”

Firing her superior a funny look, Carter hesitantly ran one hand down my sleeve while Cooper watched with unblinking intensity. I didn’t feel comfortable releasing him quite yet, not with him watching her fingers with that predatory look. Since first laying eyes on my partner, I’ve suspected he has a little wolf in him. That made me think about a wildlife documentary I had seen on wolves, years ago. They had such elaborate ritual behavior to display the hierarchy in a pack. That gave me an idea, an unorthodox one, but it just might work.

“Pardon my forwardness ma’am,” I warned Carter and ducked my head down to rub my curls over her cheek and under her chin. There was an odd, feral intimacy to the gesture even as the position put a terrible strain on my damaged midriff. I kept my eyes locked on Cooper where I was tucked under the larger woman’s chin. Carter didn’t so much as twitch, but I could imagine the look on her face. It was embarrassing, but it worked. Cooper finally relaxed and stared trustingly into my eyes until I could almost hear the thought.

‘If you trust her, I trust her.’

Once again I was humbled by his faith in me. With a groan, I placed my hand on Carter’s thigh and tried to push myself upright again. Strong hands helped me and I choked back the pain blazing across my body. With our smells mixed up and Carter’s acceptability established, Cooper was all business again.

“Are you okay?” Carter asked softly, her beautiful blue eyes gentle and concerned.

“I will be,” I answered just as softly. Something about her tugged at me, made me really want to trust her. I made a conscious effort to shake it off and get back to business. “Thanks for your patience Major, he’s okay now. Just another minute more and we’ll quit embarrassing you. Your suggestion worked Colonel, thank you.” Now back to the original introduction ritual, I wrapped my hand around Cooper’s lower jaw and spoke in my sternest ‘Handler’ voice. “Cooper, serve and protect. Major.” The hand closest to her raised up to shoulder level, palm up. “Put your chin in my hand. It indicates to him that you are among a special few that get volunteered at every base we serve at for any length of time.” After a moment I felt warm skin settle onto my hand and curled my fingers around her chin. With a light tug, I brought her sharp profile just into the corner of my vision. That was strictly for my benefit, for I loved the expressions on people’s faces when we did this. “Cooper. Serve and protect. Now, just hold his gaze until he signals you.”

She did just that, lost in my partner’s cinnamon-amber eyes. He really was quite hypnotic if you stared for too long. After a few long beats, Cooper was satisfied about her new role in our lives. Traditionally, he signaled this with a sloppy kiss. It earned the usual response as our victim jerked out of my loose grip and complained about the slobber. “Oh gross! Jeez Goldston.”

Bless these flyboys, that was two of them now that had pronounced my name correctly.

“He’ll never forget you now. Ever. In ten years he could run into you in a filthy back alley in Bangladesh and know you were one of his. Hence all the melodrama. Thanks for your patience. Now you Captain.”

The second introduction went smoothly, the pretty doctor’s skin silky against my hand. When Cooper reached out to kiss her, she just smiled, but jerked back and squeaked in shock when his long tongue swabbed across her throat and collarbones instead of her face. I hastened to explain to my superior officer despite my amusement. “Sorry ma’am, but you’re wearing makeup. He can’t taste anything through that. Good thing you weren’t in a low cut shirt or he would’ve gotten downright personal.”

The others laughed at that and Fraiser gave me a mocking scowl before patting Cooper’s head. O’Neill was teasing Carter as she rubbed her sleeve across her face. “What’s the matter Carter, don’t like being kissed by good-looking guys?”

“Oh ha-ha.”

“I dunno ladies,” Jackson chimed in. “Fella learns your name and you let him slobber all over you.”

Even Fraiser gave the man a dirty look for that one. 

“ _Mee stenohoriesay, ahkeen-dhino (don’t worry, he’s safe)_ ,” I soothed and received surround sound confusion. Except for Doctor Jackson, who stared at me in disbelief and delight. I was right, he had heard my earlier comment and seemed to understand.

“What was that?” He begged, practically leaping across the table in his enthusiasm. “Part of the Mediterranean group, right? It isn’t Latin or Italian, but it’s close.”

When he paused for breath, I broke in with a smile. “Greek was the first language I spoke and I slip into it without thinking, even now. I speak five languages fluently, and a few others with passable skill.”

 _The-eh mou (my God)_! The look on his face was priceless. After a moment of shock, Jackson propped his chin in his hands to stare adoringly at me. 

“Marry me,” he sighed and I laughed at his puppy dog charm. Ripples of amusement around the table snapped him out of his cerebrum-induced trance.

“Great,” O’Neill muttered. “Could you clip him, Doc? Please? C’mon, he’s gonna drive me insane.”

Among the chuckles, I managed to get settled back into my chair without further injury to myself. Much to Cooper’s delight, and mine, the two women remained on our side of the table. 

“Sergeant, just how much do you know about what’s going on in this facility?” Major Carter’s sudden businesslike tone brought me back to the subject at hand.

“Uh… not nearly enough I’m afraid. There wasn’t much time for me to review the briefing document sent to the hospital where I was staying. I read that the Stargate makes some kind of travel between worlds possible.”

“It creates a wormhole, a tunnel of sorts between two Stargates.”

“A wormhole? Like in ‘Star Trek’?”

“Similar concept, only there’s concrete, verifiable science at work here.”

She sighed at my look of incomprehension and settled into a well-worn lecturing mode. With only a few words out of her mouth, I was hopelessly lost. In the corner of my eye I saw Colonel O’Neill flash me a ‘good-luck-I-don’t-get-this-stuff-either’ look, heavily laced with amusement. It made me swallow a grin and make a mental reminder to test out his obvious sense of humor. After long moments of incomprehensible technobabble that would have made Einstein wince, Major Carter began to trail off. I cocked my head in mimicry of Cooper’s inquisitive canine look. “Uh, begging your pardon ma’am… but what exactly do you do here?”

O’Neill and Jackson had been watching us interact with looks of barely constrained hilarity. As much as I hated to entertain them at both of our expense, I was well and truly confused. A long-suffering sigh was Carter’s only response as she buried her face in her hands. Even the General seemed amused.

“I’m… a theoretical astrophysicist,” Carter groaned and ignored the snorts of laughter from her teammates.

“Ah,” I said sagely, and let warm sympathy shine in my eyes. “In other words, you’re the only one in this room that really understands why it works, correct?”

That shut the two men up and the blue eyes rose to fire me a grateful and surprised look. That one had won me points with all of them, I could sense it. 

“That’s what I keep trying to remind them of,” she scowled dryly.

“Aw c’mon Sam,” Jackson wheedled. “You know we love you for your brains.”

Both she and O’Neill snorted in unison and Hammond smiled a bit wider as laughter erupted among SG1. Patting Carter on the shoulder, Fraiser gave the other woman a warm grin and the group settled down. It was clear that giving the blonde woman a hard time about her obvious intelligence was one of the favorite local pastimes and I made a mental note to never participate in that particular sport. Abruptly, Cooper nosed me in the ear and whimpered plaintively. Only then did I realize how bone-wearily exhausted and agonizingly in pain I truly was. Of course, the sharp-eyed doctor caught me shifting uncomfortably. “General? Can this wait sir? It appears that our new teammate is in need of rest.”

“Of course Captain. My apologies Sergeant.”

When Carter stood and tugged an arm to help me up, pain firestormed across my torso and made me groan in pain. Of course Cooper had to go and growl at the woman again and she froze before firing him an exasperated look. “Not you… Major,” I ground out from between clenched teeth. “My stomach…”

“I’m sorry, let’s try this again.”

“Sorry you have to get stuck playing nursemaid.”

“No problem, we’re all on the same team here.”

When she bent over to help me up more gently this time, I carefully reached up to loop an arm around her neck. With a strength I wouldn’t have guessed from her willowy frame, she slowly straightened with my dead weight pulling on her. Carter was taller, but I was sturdier in build. Well, I used to be anyway. Once upright, she tucked me up against her side and kept an arm carefully around my waist. That perverse little corner of my brain crowed happily at the feel of her lanky body pressed against me. 

“Infirmary?” Carter asked quietly, the question directed at Captain Fraiser. Thankfully, the Major was avoiding pulling at the worst of the tender scars and Cooper pressed up against my leg. With a tilt of my chin, I drew Fraiser’s dark gaze to the bag caught between Carter’s body and mine.

“My medical file is here. You’ll want to see it ASAP ma’am.”

No one could miss the resigned pain in my tone. Ducking under my other arm and displacing Cooper, she fired me a gently admonishing glance. “Is there something perhaps you should have told me before now?”

“No ma’am, Cooper comes first. Always. A little pain is scant payment for him to be at ease in a new environment.”

The doctor made a faintly disgruntled sound under her breath, but my tone brooked no argument. Hammond eyed the three of us and I noticed the fatherly humor and concern dancing in the corners of his pale eyes. “Once the doctor clears you Sergeant, come see me and we’ll get you properly settled in.”

“Thank you sir, it was a pleasure. Colonel O’Neill, Doctor Jackson.”

With a gentle shift in weight, Carter got our little procession moving. It was humiliating and reassuring to have these kind strangers care for me. Grateful tears burned my eyes when Carter glanced back over her shoulder and spoke in a firm and friendly voice. “C’mon Cooper.”

++ Colonel O’Neill ++

After the three women left with the Shepherd on their heels, a long beat passed in silence. I reflected on the new woman’s warm grin and the eerie wisdom in Cooper’s amber gaze. A long beat passed, far longer than Daniel usually let pass, and I fired him a dirty look. “What, no opinion Doctor Jackson?”

The younger man had many years of practice in ignoring my sarcasm, but this time even he almost flinched. Then I sighed heavily and gestured for Teal’c through the windows. He returned to the room as I flashed Daniel an apologetic glance. It wasn’t fair to take out my mixed feelings on him and I knew it.

“Go ahead and ask,” Hammond prompted and Daniel beat me to it.

“A dog?”

“A highly trained Military Working Dog, Doctor Jackson. From what I hear, he’s one of the best to have come out of the K9 corps in years.”

Now it was Teal’c’s turn to ask a question. “I was unaware that the Tau’ri utilized lesser creatures to assist them in their duties.”

We winced a little at his phrasing; I doubt that Sergeant Goldston would like hearing her partner referred to as a ‘lesser creature’.

“Humans have been using dogs to help them in their day-to-day lives as long as we’ve had fire and tools. In modern days they’re used to assist in law enforcement by detecting things we can’t,” Hammond added in a faintly disapproving tone.

A sudden thought made me stiffen in my seat. “She’s military police, isn’t she?”

“She was, until a month ago when she was medically discharged. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have assigned her directly to me and rescinded her discharge status.” Hopefully, Goldston understood the impact of all of this. Hammond pinned the three of us with his best sober look and tapped the dossier under his hand. “Those two were very specifically chosen for the SGC by their superiors. Goldston has a reputation for thinking on her feet and being a bit of a maverick, and she has some very useful skills, but Cooper is the real reason she’s here. That dog is due to be retired sometime in the next year depending on his ongoing health, which wasn’t looking good there for awhile.”

Daniel hesitantly ventured the question. “If Cooper wasn’t in good health, why are they here?”

“He was in poor health because his Handler had nearly been killed. Nine weeks ago, Goldston was assigned to the UN forces in Bosnia. Some Serb terrorist threw a grenade that caught her point-blank range. That ‘lesser creature’ proved his loyalty to his Handler by leaping up and grabbing her by the collar to minimize the damage before dragging her a hundred yards into a ditch amidst heavy fire from both the Serbs and the squad they’d been running point for. The squad was able to fall back and get her to medical teams, who just barely managed to save her life. Despite the Sergeant’s physical status, I believe she deserves a chance to prove herself.”

I agreed with a nod, far more intrigued by this newcomer than I had been a few minutes ago. Teal’c’s expression said the same and he addressed the General. “I am intrigued by Sergeant Goldston and Cooper, but he is uncomfortable with my physiological differences.”

“That’s why they’re here Teal’c, for experiments. I’ll arrange for you to speak to Goldston alone and we’ll see what happens. Let’s give her a day or two to settle in before dumping all of the strangeness around here on her.”

“Acceptable.”

++ Major Carter ++

At some point, Goldston nearly lost her footing and only the protective embrace of Janet and I kept her from sprawling to the concrete. Eventually, we made it to the Infirmary and Janet ducked away. Hauling Goldston over to a private room with a bed, I grinned at her. Sunset blue eyes, much darker than mine, regarded me from beneath the curly waves of jaw-length hair the color of inky midnight. She was bronze skinned and reminded me of the sturdy people of Abydos. “Do you need a hand getting undressed, or can you do this? Janet will want to check you out before you can rest.”

An odd look passed over her face before she chuckled and winced. Cooper whined protectively and pushed up against her hand. Thankfully, no one had prevented him following us into the Infirmary.

“Sorry, I’m just wiped out,” she apologized tiredly and gave me a searching look. “Major, will you trust me with something?” Startled and wary, I nodded tightly. “Trust me enough to tell me more about Jolinar?”

Agony and loss stabbed through me and I was amazed that it could still hurt this badly. I wished she hadn’t asked, but I knew that she needed to understand what Cooper had sensed in me as best she could. Pain had pushed her past the point of proper decorum and she must have sensed I would allow her to ask despite our difference in ranks. Propping her trembling frame against the bed, I unceremoniously grabbed the edge of the light green uniform shirt and started undoing buttons, desperate for something useful to do. I was only dimly aware of where I was and what I was doing as memories, both mine and Jolinar’s, crashed through me.

“I already told you the Goa’uld are a symbiotic species, parasites that physically bond with a human host and can completely subvert all thought and control.” The low, tight monotone barely sounded like me as I efficiently stripped away her shirt. Suddenly, she grabbed my wrists with surprisingly strong hands and I met her sympathetic gaze. “When Jolinar died, she changed me both physically and psychologically. Left me with painfully vivid memories and experiences and emotions that aren’t mine and subtly altered my physical makeup. Obviously, your astute partner picked up on that. There’s also an alien mineral in my blood that may be detectable by Cooper. There’s more to it than that, but the details will have to wait until after you rest.”

“I’m sorry I had to ask.”

“I gathered from your reaction back in the briefing room that Cooper doesn’t growl very often. I’m just glad he’s not afraid of me any more, I like him.”

“Good, he likes you too. You made quite the impression on both of us.”

Back in control of my emotions, I tugged up the white undershirt and curiosity drew my gaze down her half-naked torso. My eyes widened at the same moment Janet stepped in.

“Well Sergeant,” she said brightly. “I see Major Carter has taken her new role as nursemaid seriously. Take a seat so I can give you the once over.”

Grunting in familiar pain, Goldston leaned over to let me pull off her undershirt and sat heavily on the bed. She was left in a soft sport bra that was probably the only thing her barely healed injuries would allow tight against her skin. Janet pressed the stethoscope against her back and ignored the obvious for the moment. But eventually both our gazes rested on the pattern of twisted and puckered scars that traced across Goldston’s center body. A long, thick line started at her sternum to disappear under her green slacks, neatly bisecting the damaged flesh. There was a long moment before she began to speak in a tense, halting tone. “Me and Coop were stationed in Bosnia just over two months ago. Terrorists attacked and there was an explosion… I never saw it coming. The medical teams told me later that he dragged me nearly a hundred yards under heavy fire so that the squad we were running point for could get me to medics. And he had some injuries of his own from the shrapnel, despite me taking most of it. When a partner goes and does something amazing like that for you, you don’t just up and die on them. I’m still in bad enough shape that the Army was getting ready to medically discharge me. A research project needing a really smart dog was a lifesaver.”

I didn’t know what to say, but the pain in her tone made my heart warm to her. Soberly, Janet looked at her, then at Cooper where he sat quietly beside the bed. She carefully crouched down and held the dog’s gaze. “You can stay here if you behave. Agreed?” Grateful at the understanding tone, Cooper nuzzled the offered hand and was very careful not to muss her. Then she stood and pinned Goldston with a no-nonsense look worthy of a four-star General. “Lie down before you fall down. Sam, if you wouldn’t mind staying for a few minutes until our new friends are settled?”

“Of course. C’mon Goldston.”

Startled out of my musing by Janet’s voice, I grabbed my new teammate’s legs and swung them up onto the hospital bed. Once she was comfortable on her back, I efficiently removed both boots and socks. Weariness was getting the best of Goldston and she rolled her head over to catch her partner’s eye. “You be good for Carter and Fraiser, okay?”

He whined in response, pressing against her hand and stood attentive guard as sleep at last claimed Goldston’s weak frame. I was moved by his unwavering dedication to this woman who obviously adored him so. With a gesture, Janet drew me out of the room after her and we paused outside. Both of us had been moved and disturbed by these two and made our way to Janet’s office in a respectful silence.

“I only had a minute to skim through her medical file, but the grenade incident she spoke of is like something out of a war simulation. I’m shocked she’s even alive, much less walking under her own power,” Janet mused to herself as she settled into her chair.

“That bad?”

“Sam, you saw those scars. That woman has a topographical map drawn in bas-relief across nearly the entirety of her ventral side. The file says that later investigation of the attack site showed that the grenade exploded less than two meters from where she’d been standing. It’s no wonder that she never saw it coming. But obviously Cooper did. From both her account and marks left on her uniform, Cooper jumped up and grabbed the collar of her shirt with his teeth to yank her backwards. That was the only thing that saved her from getting a throat and face full of shrapnel. It also says she was in surgery onsite for over ten hours and flatlined twice. One of the doctors made a note that Cooper howled outside the tent until they let him into lay under her cot while she began recovery. It was only then he would let the doctors clean his own wounds.”

I had nothing to say. When Janet winced my attention sharpened again

“They had to split her open like a cesarean section to get the shrapnel out of her body cavity. It states the doctors removed twelve ounces of metal in fourteen different pieces. Her stomach was torn in five places and her intestines ripped in six. My God, no wonder the surgery took so long. There was some slight damage to the diaphragm and various other internal organs…”

Again she winced and I wondered how much worse it could get. “What?”

“These last few notations are a bit… personal.”

“Personal?”

“Let’s just say the Sergeant won’t be having children. Ever.”

That sobered me even further. To have that choice taken away from a woman by circumstance… “Did they say anything about how she’s recovered emotionally?”

Janet had not expected me to ask that and skimmed through the rest of the thick document. “As well as to be expected, I suppose. She cracked a few jokes at the briefing and seemed to adapt well when Cooper reacted badly to you and Teal’c.”

“Yeah, but I wonder how she feels, Janet. That was an awful thing that happened to her.”

When Janet’s hand came to rest gently on my arm, I looked up into her understanding eyes. “Sounds like the Sergeant just made a friend. And I’m not supposed to be discussing this with you anyway.” She grinned softly to let me know she wasn’t annoyed and tugged me to my feet. “Go get some of this stress out of your system and come back to check on her. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks Janet.”

“Anytime.”

Overwhelmed by my concern for this complete stranger, I wandered out of the Infirmary and into the hallways. Maybe it was the empathy I held for the suddenness of her pain. Maybe it was because she had tried so hard to understand what I had gone through with Jolinar.

Maybe we both just needed a friend.

++ Daniel Jackson ++

A familiar figure hovering in my doorway drew my attention and I quirked a grin in welcome. “Hey Sam.” But it vanished when I saw the haunted, confused look in her expressive eyes. “What’s wrong?” She flinched when I came over to touch her arm. That stiff tension she gets across the shoulders when she’s upset or stressed was full-blown under the fatigue shirt. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”

Gratitude shone in Sam’s gaze at the offered distraction and she nodded before creeping into my lab to perch on a stool. She looked like she was ready to flee at any second. When I brought her the cup, I remained standing close to her bent knees, wanting to be supportive any way I could. Finally she spoke in a distant tone I knew all too well. It’s how I sound when I speak of my beloved wife Sha’re, taken by our alien enemies so long ago. “Goldston asked me questions about Jolinar and now I feel rotten all over again. Every time I think I’m okay, some new thing will dredge up all those memories and emotions and I worry it’ll never go away.”

“It won’t Sam.” Startled, her pale eyes came up to meet mine and I could tell she had not expected that response. “The intensity will fade with time, but it will never go away. Why did this hit you so hard this time? Do you know?”

While I had never expected to play the role of therapist, it felt great to be able to help my teammate and friend in this way. Haltingly, she told me about Goldston’s questions and the empathy the younger woman had stirred up. The descriptions of the injuries made me queasy, but I ignored the sensation. And with time and patience, the tension in her shoulders eased before she stood to hug me unexpectedly. Startled and pleased by the affection, I returned the quick embrace.

“Thanks Daniel.”

“Any time. Now go check up on your buddy.”

“I’m going.”

And with a much lighter heart, I returned to my research.

++ Sergeant Goldston ++

Fuzzily, I grew aware that something did not… smell right. That inane thought roused me with a sneeze of humor. I caught myself thinking more and more like Cooper the longer I spent with him. Naked concrete enclosed the sterile hospital room and memories cascaded through me. Something was wrong and apprehension pricked at me. Then I saw a folded piece of paper on the bed stand. There was a poorly drawn caricature of a dog scrawled on it and that was when I realized that Cooper was not in the room. That I hadn’t realized that immediately upon waking was proof enough that I had been pushing myself too hard. Inside the paper was a neat, concise note.

*Took Cooper sightseeing. Be back soon. –Carter*

Tracing a finger over the words, I smiled mistily. Thank whatever deities watched over animals and fools that Cooper had bonded with the woman who had initially unnerved him so badly. The click of heels brought my eyes to the door where Captain Fraiser smiled at me. “Well good morning. Your partner seemed to be getting a little antsy, so Sam took him above ground to romp in the sunshine.”

Again, I gave silent thanks that these people were making such a concerted effort to understand the bond between Cooper and I. Before informing me of my own condition, my new physician had assured me that he was fine. “Thank you. Hopefully, he won’t wear her out.”

The grin turned mischievous as Fraiser pulled up a stool to sit beside me. “That’s why I didn’t take him myself. And I suppose I really should be more concerned with you, hmm? It’s just been so long since we’ve had any thing as interesting and ordinary as a dog around here. Generally, surprises are a mixed blessing at best.”

We talked about my injuries as she did an embarrassingly thorough examination. With my dangerous bent towards the members of my own sex, I’d never been able to decide if women doctors were better or worse for my peace of mind. Thankfully, she was gentle and efficient, never letting me dwell on any particular sensation for very long.

“Have you dealt with many grenade cases?” I finally had to ask, merely to distract my wandering attention.

“Sergeant, I’ve dealt with worse and weirder,” she chuckled in a dry tone that made me grin. There was a sudden thump against the door that made it rattle in its frame. A muffled oath accompanied a softer impact. Immediately, Fraiser tugged the open-backed gown up and went to the door. A sheepish and winded Sam Carter was there with a wriggling Cooper panting at her feet. “I take it he’s done taking you for a walk?”

The embarrassed scowl in response to Fraiser’s dry tone made me chuckle. When Cooper yanked at the leash to get to me, he jerked Carter heavily into the small doctor and managed to free himself. Thoroughly snarled up with the larger officer, Fraiser tried to turn to check on me and only made their tangle worse. There was nothing for her to worry about. With typical gentleness at odds with his size, Cooper hoisted himself up to place big paws on either side of my hips and lovingly lick my face.

“Back off gazelle,” Fraiser groused laughingly at her friend as they finally managed to disentangle themselves without falling down. That little perverse part of my brain noted that they made a really cute couple. Definitely a dangerous place to go when thinking about superior officers. 

“I hope he behaved except for that last tug Major.”

“He was great,” Carter enthused. “But we need to work on the communication issue. He’s either deliberately ignoring some of what I tell him, or he really doesn’t understand.”

“A little of both, most likely. I’d be happy to train you on some of his basic commands.” We both cringed under Fraiser’s sharp look and I gave her my best sheepish puppy look. “When the Captain says I can of course.”

“Great. You’ll need to know more about what’s going on here anyhow. Just let me know when you’re available.”

“I will.”

“Have a good day, you too Janet.”

“Bye Sam.”

After a few more pokes and prods, Fraiser let me go with strict orders not to overdo it. While I slowly dressed, she knelt to give Cooper a cursory once-over. “I’m no vet, but I’m sure I can spot anything obvious, right?”

Cooper wagged his tail enthusiastically at her attention. Her comment had gotten me thinking about who would take care of his medical needs. So far I had always had access to the veterinarians in the K9 Corps. I made a mental note to talk to General Hammond about that when I spoke with him next. Even with my hampered movements, clean fatigues were soon settled around me with familiar assurance. The oddity of my lapel pin was immediately apparent as I hobbled out into the Infirmary proper. I really was the only Army personnel on this base. How bizarre. Bidding Captain Fraiser a warm goodbye, I took a solid grip on the aluminum cane and Cooper’s guide harness. Very quickly the irritating blandness of the place grated on my nerves. Every hallway and door looked identical except for the ID numbers. How the hell was a new kid supposed to find her way around? As though conjured by my thoughts, a familiar voice spoke from nearby. “You look like I did the first few weeks I was here.”

“Weeks? That’s not encouraging.”

Daniel Jackson flashed a brief grin and stepped closer. “I think you’re probably better prepared for this kind of environment that I was when I arrived.”

“Thanks for the vote of encouragement, Doctor Jackson.”

“Call me Daniel, I’m not military and I’m sick of formalities. Are you hungry? We actually have a pretty decent commissary here.”

“Great. I need a guide anyway. If you’re a civilian, why are you here?”

“I’m an Egyptologist.” My look of confusion and skepticism must have spoken volumes. “Ancient Egyptian mythology heavily influenced Goa’uld culture. We’ve found that dozens of ancient cultures influenced various groups of both the Goa’uld and other aliens.”

“Wait, there’s more than just these Goa’uld?”

“Oh yeah, plenty. You’re in for quite a ride Sergeant.”

“Call me Art.”

“Okay, Art it is.”

He was a very conscientious man, measuring his pace to match my awkward stride without any obvious indication he had done it. I decided right then that I liked him. Over a light meal, Daniel began my education on the Stargate Project. He was far more interesting than the dry document I had managed to skim through. Passion and enthusiasm for his work radiated off him like a palpable force while he spoke. The cook provided me with scraps for Cooper until I could get some proper food sent to the base. Some time passed with various personnel periodically interrupting us to admire my partner. Eventually my brain informed me that it had reached its weirdness threshold and I gently cut Daniel off with a gesture.

“I rarely get to ramble on for so long,” he admitted sheepishly and I laughed.

“So Major Carter’s not the only one that gets a hard time around here?”

“Absolutely not. Jack, ummm… I mean Colonel O’Neill can’t stand that he needs us scientific types as much as he does.”

“Well, I’m no scientist, maybe he’ll like me.”

“You have a dog, he’ll adore you.”

“Good. It never hurts to have an in with superior officers.”

We laughed over that one, but I knew I needed to track down O’Neill as soon as possible. All indications were that he hated being left out and his brainy teammates did that to him enough. Cooper would win him over of that, I had no doubt. We just needed the opportunity. Now Teal’c was a whole different story. How to make Cooper understand that this alien was okay, but anything else that smelled like him might not be? Filing that problem away, I said goodnight to Daniel and went in search of General Hammond again. Luckily, I caught him right before he was going off shift. “Sergeant Goldston, good to see you up again.”

“Thank you sir. Captain Fraiser and Major Carter took excellent care of Cooper and I.”

“Good. Come in and sit.” He was very helpful with my list of needs for Cooper and promised to look into providing medical care if he needed it. Quarters were assigned and an Airman sent to get my bag moved from the Infirmary. The formalities aside, Hammond leaned back in his chair and fixed me with that laser blue gaze. “So how are you adapting?”

“Better than I would have expected in all honesty sir. With as little warning I received about this assignment, I’m grateful that things are falling into place so smoothly. Doctor Jackson was very helpful over dinner in filling me in on some of the basic history of the Stargate Project.” I flashed a loving grin at Cooper who was lying quietly on the carpet nearby. “And Cooper seems to have developed a crush on Major Carter.”

That earned a soft huff of amusement from the General and Cooper wagged his tail. “She does seem to have quite startling effects on people, and now your partner. She’s one of our best assets here. Listen to her and Jackson and they’ll have you up to speed in no time.”

“Yes sir. I got that impression from everybody but the two of them.”

“All of SG1 is like that, unassuming almost to a fault.” I suspected that Hammond was not normally quite so open and forthcoming. Funny the effect a dog had on people. Glancing at his watch, the General was suddenly all business again. “You should go get settled in. I’ll be certain to schedule SG1 to spend time with you for the next few days. There’s no specific policy on military dogs in this facility, so I’ll trust you to use your best judgment. Keep communicating with Captain Fraiser; we want you as strong as possible to test your full potential for the project. Anything else?”

“No sir, none that I can think of at the moment.”

“Very good then. Dismissed.”

With a halfway decent salute, I left him. Automatically, Cooper slid under my left hand and my fingers closed around the short leash. Fatigue was pulling at me again, but I felt terrific. With all the new knowledge I had accumulated today, I knew this was going to be a wonderful assignment.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art gets to know her new surroundings better, as well as her companions. Not to mention the wonders of alien technology…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: It's still PG! Deal with it! There are a few bad words in here for flavor. Does that make it an R? You decide…
> 
> Pairings: Only hints… I love subtext!
> 
> Notes: All words in italics are phonetic foreign words, mostly Greek.

++ Goldston ++

 

(2-25-99)

 

Being hospitalized for more than two months, I had grown used to sleeping when I was tired. Thankfully, no one at the SGC seemed to be the beat-on-the-door-get-up-you-lazy-SOB type. So I woke gradually and gently to my new environment. For long moments I stared at my concrete ceiling and felt sorry for myself. The omnipresent pain nagged at me, sharper and deeper today than it had been in more than two weeks. Obviously, the last dose of heavy-duty painkillers I had taken before the plane trip had finally worn off completely. My groan brought Cooper over to lay his head on my chest. "I think I… overextended myself… yesterday."

 

Could I get up without hurting myself? When I tensed my stomach muscles to sit up, they shrieked in protest. This was not good. All I could hope for was that Captain Fraiser was on duty. Understanding me like he always did, Cooper went to the door and wrestled it open with nimble paws. That trick had driven the nurses at the Army hospital crazy. There was not been a standard door yet my partner cannot figure out. While he was out hunting, I faded in and out of a pain-induced stupor. 

 

++ Captain Fraiser ++

 

"What the hell…"

 

Just as I looked up to see what had made Betty mutter that, something poked me hard in the ribs. I jerked away from the microscope to see that Cooper's nose was the culprit. "Goodness Cooper, you scared me." Immediately, he whined and pawed at my skirt urgently. "What's wrong?" The whining took on a desperate edge and he grabbed my lab coat sleeve in his teeth. Tugging gently, he urged me towards the door, prancing anxiously from foot to foot. "Wait, wait, I need my kit."

 

Surprisingly, he seemed to understand and paced by the door until I appeared again. With no prompting from me, he trotted off to the barracks area with me hot on his heels. We probably looked pretty silly, but I was far too concerned about my new patient to care. If the dog was this upset, something must be terribly wrong. Nosing open a half-open door, Cooper sat beside his Handler's bedside and looked at me with desperate eyes. Goldston was moaning softly under her breath, eyes slitted, and her whole body shuddering lightly beneath the wool blanket. When I knelt to touch her arm, she jerked and moaned more loudly.

 

"Shh… I've got you," I murmured softly and pulled away the blanket to examine her. Cooper did not interfere; though it was obvious he wanted to. The dusky skin had taken on an ashen tone that worried me and tremors echoed through her muscles. Both hands were clenched into the bed linens as she tried not to move. I went for the syringe and gave her enough morphine to deaden the agonized death throes of a small elephant. Gradually, her pallor lessened and her death grip relaxed. Both Cooper and I began to calm. This time she only muttered something incomprehensible when I tugged at her shirt. It only took me a few minutes to go over her vitals and confirm that her system was coming down from the shock of the pain it had woken to. When I looked up, a pair of deep-water blue eyes held mine. It once again occurred to me what an attractive woman she was and I wrestled the thought into submission. This was neither the time nor place for it. "Feeling better?"

 

"Uhhnn… much. Thank you."

 

"You're welcome. I should have expected something like this after seeing your bloodwork from yesterday."

 

"I'm still pretty doped up, huh?"

 

"There are indications of prolonged use of some serious painkillers, yes."

 

There was a questioning undercurrent in my tone and I watched the symphony of emotions flash across her face. As though trying to hide, she tossed an arm over her eyes and sighed heavily. So I settled myself into the desk chair to wait her out. When she did finally speak, her deep voice was brittle and strained. "I'm so tired of being weak and fragile and pathetic. Of seeing the look in people's eyes when I hobble by. I hate having to be taken care of and not being able to do what I'm meant to do. Not to mention that I'm terrified to be weaned off the morphine, but with my toxin tolerance it's the only thing that works." 

 

There was a long moment where neither of us spoke and Cooper rested his head on her upper chest. I propped my elbows on my knees and studied my hands. Suddenly, I wished with a fierce ache that there was something, anything I could do for her. There was something appealing about her strength of spirit that called out to me.

 

"I became a doctor for people like you," I heard myself say in a voice strained by long-dormant emotions. "For the chance to take away your pain, to piece you back together inside and out. I don't always succeed, but I'll keep trying." Resolutely, I forced myself to meet her eyes and was rocked by the emotions mirrored there. Trying to keep some kind of distance from her magnetism, I reached out to give her upper arm a quick squeeze. "I'm not about to give up on you, so don't give up on me," I managed to add around the lump in my throat. Reluctantly, she nodded and covered my fingers with her hand. The mingled warmth of our skins made my heart race, my breath catch and with a conscious act of willpower, I moved away a bit to force myself back to business. "Good, that's settled then. I'll have a comfortable workspace set up in Daniel's office where you can spend some time. That way SG1 can help us both out. Agreed?"

 

"Agreed. Just send someone to collect me when they're ready."

 

"I'll send Sam in case you need any help with a shower or change of uniform. Luckily for you, it's in the middle of the four hours a day we girls get the locker room. I need to get back to the Infirmary, but call for an officer if you need anything."

 

Something flashed across her dark eyes, something frightened and needy, and I felt that same something flare to life deep inside my own soul. Then she smiled tremulously and the intense moment shifted yet again. "I will. Thanks… for everything."

 

Grinning foolishly at her warm tone, I found myself feeling much better about the whole incident. With a fond pat for Cooper, I walked out and left all the roiling emotions behind me. 

 

Or so I believed.

 

++ Goldston ++

 

Steadily, the pain was strangled beneath the weight of the morphine and I gingerly rolled onto my side to struggle into a sitting position. I could almost hear my stoned brain whoop in delight, as it swam dizzily inside my skull. Wow… the Doc had seriously dosed me up, it had been awhile since I'd felt this high. I had to wait for the room to quit dancing before I was able to get to my feet. The strange and oddly emotional encounter with Doctor Fraiser had left me feeling unnerved. A hot shower sounded incredibly appealing and much to my amusement, Cooper had already pulled out socks, underwear and the shower bag to set them on the desk. Whoever had brought my gear to the room earlier had hung up my uniforms and set my boots neatly on the bottom of the upright metal closet. 

 

"Well, since I'm being taken such good care of, care to join me?" Cooper wagged his tail and gave a short happy bark at my smile. In the hallway outside there was inconveniently no one around. "Okay Cooper, find the locker room."

 

Nose to the cement, he trotted off with me on his heels. The locker room was empty when we entered and I parked myself on a bench and methodically began to strip. I then removed Cooper's leather collar, leaving us both wearing only our metal chains and dog tags. 

 

"Sorry I can't scrub you," I laughed as my partner pranced happily to the shower stall. "Maybe we'll have to ask your new girlfriend."

 

Barking playfully, he stood patiently by my feet while I showered, and enjoyed the water cascading over him. Why Cooper loved water so much was beyond me, but it gave me a chance to regularly hose him down. Normally, I would bring in the dog shampoo and really clean him, but that had been impossible since the accident. It was murderously hard just to get my own chin-length mane relatively clean. Once scrubbed and relaxed, I stepped out and yanked the shower curtain closed behind me. That had been one of the first tricks I had taught him myself, since getting soaked when he shook his heavy fur out defeated the purpose of a shower. So he waited until I stepped out and then shook himself to his heart's content. Chuckling at the loud jingling of his tags, I returned to my things and toweled myself dry. The first layer and pants went on with some difficulty, but I managed better than I would have believed that morning. When the door whooshed open I glanced over, expecting to see Carter. Instead it was a dirty, disheveled figure in BDUs that looked as though she had seen better days. Taller than many men, with flaming red hair that was pulled back severely, she glanced up to reveal startling emerald eyes. Despite being half-dressed, I smiled and earned the same in response. She looked as though she had been rolling around in the mud and exhaustion pulled at her handsome face.

 

"Major," I said politely, after taking not of the rank pips on her collar, and she opened her mouth to respond but stopped with a brief look of surprise. Cooper's toenails clicked up beside me and he panted happily next to my gear. The Spock-like eyebrow she raised in my general direction made me giggle like a ten-year-old and I cursed the morphine. 

 

"K9, I assume?" She asked in a soft contralto voice and I couldn't help but giggle harder. Good humor danced in her bright eyes as they shifted between Cooper and me. She stepped over to offer me an open hand and I willing took it. "Major Karen Taylor, SG7."

 

"You assume correct. Staff Sergeant Artemis Goldston, pleased to meet you ma'am. This is Cooper."

 

When the room suddenly spun, I realized just how much the staff at Eisenhower must have been weaning me off the stuff for me to be so screwed up now. So much for my amazing familial alcohol/toxin tolerance…

 

"Are you okay?"

 

The Major's soft voice gave me something to focus on and the dizziness receded. Without thinking, I reached up to squeeze the hand she'd set on my shoulder. "It's going now, thanks."

 

"Good. I'll be right over there if you need anything."

 

"Thank you, ma'am."

 

I let my eyes follow the Major as she stepped over to her locker and inwardly lamented that this damn base had more than its fair share of attractive and nice women. Oh well, abstinence was supposed to be good for the soul. I was struggling with all the blasted buttons on my uniform when a short laugh caught my attention. Carter stepped in to pat Cooper and grab my damp towel. "What'd he do? Get in with you?"

 

"Yeah, he loves water and showering with me keeps him clean." She knelt to briskly towel off Cooper's spiky fur and he wriggled in ecstasy. "Keep flirting with him Major, and he'll start following you back to quarters instead of me."

 

She just chuckled and let him lick her face. I'd never seen my already-gregarious partner so completely taken with a stranger. But considering how bizarrely our first meeting had gone, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised at the impression she had made on him.

 

"I came to collect you so that Daniel and I could fill your brain up again today. Have you eaten?"

 

"No. I was going to head there next, but I'm not really hungry. Hopefully, Cooper's food came in overnight."

 

"We'll find out," she stated and eyed me closely. Now that I was buttoned up, I was not looking forward to wrestling with the boots or brushing out my hair. Between the stiffness and the deadened pain I knew was hiding under the dizzying morphine, I had no idea how I'd gotten this far. Unexpectedly, Carter grabbed my socks and twisted so that she was at my feet on her knees. A strangled giggle that was almost a snort escaped me, she grinned before setting one foot on her bent leg to pull a sock on. "Relax, we're under medical orders to not let you strain yourself and Janet Fraiser is not someone you disobey. Besides, how often do you get senior officers catering to you?"

 

"I'm sure I'm the envy of the whole base," I laughed and leaned back on my hands. I was beginning to understand how I had survived those first few weeks after the accident. There was no pain and no worries with the opiate in my system. This had be the kind of dose I had been getting weeks ago, before they'd started backing me down. The two Majors chortling at me brought my wandering attention back.

 

"Mornin' Karen. How did PRX-457 go?" Carter asked jovially flashed the taller woman an engaging grin. I had to wonder if Carter knew what an outrageous flirt she could be…

 

"Mostly uneventful except for the flora and fauna being far too enthusiastic about adding us to the local food chain."

 

"Yeah, I know that feeling. No signs of habitation?"

 

"Nothing younger than the U. S of A."

 

"Oh well, better deserted than hostile."

 

"Amen to that."

 

At last the laces were snug around my ankles and Carter ducked under an arm to help me to my feet. "You're moving around better than Janet thought you'd be."

 

"Morphine is great stuff," I drawled and earned a grimace from both of them.

 

"Jeez, you think you can keep up with me and Daniel on that stuff?"

 

"Trust me Major, I'd have no chance without it."

 

That made Taylor snort with humor and Carter to laugh outright. The green eyes looked at me closely, no doubt trying to figure out why I would be on such hard-core medication. I sighed and turned away as she began to strip out of the last of her clothes. The last thing I needed was one more well-developed female body tempting me. Cane in hand, I bid Taylor an absent farewell and followed Carter and Cooper out of the locker room. Her response was soft and thoughtful, but I refused think anything of it. "See you around Sergeant. Sam."

 

In the hallway outside, Carter chattered happily at me. She seemed to be really excited to have a new set of ears to listen to everything she knew about this place. It was obvious that she truly loved her work and it inspired me to stretch my limits. "We'll collect Daniel and let you ask questions."

 

"Major?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Is Colonel O'Neill anywhere around? I haven't had the chance to interact with him and I think it's important that I do."

 

"Umm, sure. He should be around somewhere. Daniel will know; he always seems to know."

 

"Thanks. Then all I have to do is figure out what to do about Teal'c."

 

"We'll all put our heads together."

 

++ Daniel ++

 

When the tread of boots and the click of toenails caught my attention, I lit up with delight at my visitors. "Sam, Art, Cooper, good morning. The troops have already converted my space to accommodate you."

 

There was a comfy chair with a computer terminal that had a fairly clear view of the whole room. A brilliant smile spread over Art's face. Her Mediterranean good looks made my heart ache with bittersweet loneliness for the people of Abydos. I would always remember that first alien world the Stargate had taken us to. Just as I would remember the love of my life… my Sha're. Those short years with her before Jack retrieved me had been bliss.

 

"Great," Art enthused and jerked me from my musings. "Now all we need is breakfast. I know I need to eat, no matter that the whole idea is faintly nauseating with this much painkiller in my system."

 

Cooper barked excitedly and pranced about at the women's feet at the mention of food, so I wrapped up what I was doing before joining them. It was obvious word had been delivered to the commissary about Art's medical needs as the cook handed her a tray with very different foods on it than Sam's or mine.

 

"No greasy eggs for me," she laughed and warily eyed our trays. The cook chuckled and added a glass bottle of some kind of juice beside the bowls of warm cereal and fresh fruit.

 

"And no coffee either, I know better than to cross Doc Fraiser. Now scram."

 

Still amused by the commentary, we did as ordered. An Airman cook brought out a bowl of dog kibble and a dish of water, halting beside Art when she gestured him over. "Over here, Airman. Set them down and step away. Thank you, I appreciate it. Cooper, eat." At her instruction, Cooper attacked his food. "When I was recovering," Art explained softly. "He hardly ate at all. He was trained to only accept food from me, and only disobeyed when he was truly desperate and instinct took over. It took weeks to get his weight back up and he's still under by a good fifteen pounds because I can't exercise him adequately." There wasn't anything Sam or I could add to that until Art brightened and encouraged us to continue. So we ate, and regaled our new companion with tales of our exploits in the Stargate Project. Those stories segued into more serious lessons of science and technology and anthropology. Eventually, we returned to my lab where visual aid was added to the rambling monologues.

 

At some point, Sam leaned over to pet Cooper and I was left with Art's attention. Her piercing blue gaze was both flattering and unnerving. Clearing my throat, I forced myself to ask a question. Any question. "I've been meaning to ask about that little display last night in the briefing room." There was that head-cocked gesture of curiosity that was becoming so familiar. "When you rubbed your head under Sam's chin."

 

That made her flush faintly, but Sam only grinned when she straightened up suddenly. "I got the general idea," Sam teased lightly. "But it's a good question."

 

"Well, Cooper was freaked and he needed a gesture of trust."

 

"Right, that's been established."

 

"So I thought a canine gesture of submission would work and I'm in no condition to roll over on my back and show my throat."

 

That made both of us laugh, and Art smiled through her embarrassment.

 

"Poor Jack," I mockingly lamented. "He's no longer pack alpha!"

 

A tapping at the doorframe drew our gazes over. A curious Jack stood there and we all swallowed our humor. "Pack alpha?"

 

I almost held in my hilarity at his questioning expression. Then Sam had to go and snort with her own suppressed mirth. Both Art and Jack eyed the two of us oddly while we laughed and laughed and laughed.

 

"Not bad, Goldston," Jack complimented. "These two don't laugh nearly enough." He smiled and gave Sam and I a long-suffering look before turning his sharp stare on Art. "They chewed your ears long enough?" She shrugged noncommittally and he huffed in amusement before stepping into the room. "Would you like to see the Stargate in action? SG6 is due in any minute."

 

"Would I? Right behind you sir."

 

++ Goldston ++

 

We five entered the Gateroom and they allowed me to simply stare at the artifact for long moments. It was enormous and exotic-looking among the Spartan lines of human technology surrounding it. A vast ring some twenty feet in diameter with a smaller ring set within the larger housing. Slowly, I moved to look at it in profile while Cooper sniffed to his heart's content. Great brackets held the Gate aloft and a shallow metal ramp led through the center of the circle. While Carter's actual numbers ran through my head like a sieve, I remembered that it took huge quantities of energy to power the thing. 

 

"Incoming wormhole," a disembodied voice suddenly rang over the speaker system.

 

"Cooper, come," I called out and was relieved when his leash was in my hand. A beckoning gesture brought me to O'Neill's side.

 

"Now watch."

 

Beneath my feet, the ground trembled lightly in concert to the Stargate grinding to life. Being a southern California native, the tremors brought back memories better left alone. So I concentrated on what was happening in front of me and not under my feet. The inner ring of the Gate spun about like a great combination lock, whirring and hissing noisily. Abruptly, it would halt and one of the seven red chevrons would snap open with a rasping clunk and glow brightly. There were geometric symbols there, the stellar coordinates of Earth if I remembered Carter and Daniel's lectures correctly. The disembodied voice chanted along with the activating Gate. "Chevron five encoded… chevron six encoded… chevron seven encoded."

 

A hazy blue light gathered within the circle, taking on an oddly solid appearance. Both Cooper and I flinched away as the surface exploded out toward us like billowing water only to collapse back into itself. The surface shimmered like water, but had the appearance of solid light. It was extraordinary. 

 

"Wow," I breathed and Cooper growled softly. Then the damnest thing happened. Human figures stepped out of the watery-looking surface with an odd sucking noise and clomped down the ramp. They quickly headed out the massive blast door to report to General Hammond as the Gate glowed brighter for a moment. Then it simply went dormant, the impressive lightshow disintegrating in a burst of sparkles. Quiet settled over the huge room. Without realizing I had moved, I found myself standing on the ramp within the soaring arch of the Stargate.

 

"Well?"

 

O'Neill's gentle question finally chased off my mental paralysis. As he came to stand beside me, I reached out to hesitantly touch the inner ring. It was textured and felt more like stone than metal. "It was so fast. And looked so effortless. Damn."

 

"Yeah. I hope you get a chance to go through someday, it's a wild ride. C'mon, dinner awaits."

 

## Altered Point of View

 

(2-26 through 2-28)

 

When they had warned me that things got weird around here, I really hadn't believed them. I had only been here for two days and things were shaping up to be just as bizarre as they had claimed. We all stared at the image on the screen and gawked. It was Carter… sort of. She was different, this alternate universe version of my new teammate that had used some alien device to step from one reality to another. Between the video tape of the NID's interrogation of Carter's double and the comments the Major added in herself, the basics of temporal mechanics and the Quantum Mirror that made dimensional travel possible were explained. But all of that technobabble faded away when three figures filed into the room to face us. I noted the longhaired double of Carter and the angry man following her, but the woman behind them is what really made me gawk. She wore the same look of surprise that I was quite certain was on my own features and I perversely wondered what she was thinking. Then the strange man they called Kowalski tried to attack Teal'c and the plot thickened.

 

They had lost the fight with the Goa'uld in their reality. The defeat hung on them like a palpable thing as Doctor Carter pleaded amnesty from the SGC. My double just stood there in silence and watched all of us with a brooding gaze. The darkness and rage flickering like fire in the eerily familiar eyes disturbed me in a deep, fundamental way. I had a really bad feeling about this…

 

As soon as I was able to, I snuck away from SG1 and the disturbing doubles. Watching her world basically destroyed by the Goa'uld had obviously pushed that other Art to a place I prayed I would never see. But what made her glower at O'Neill with such naked hatred in her eyes? I feared finding out, but had a sneaking suspicion I would anyway.

 

I had returned to Daniel's office to hide and managed it for quite some time. Then Cooper made a small sound of confusion and alarm as his head snapped up. Our eyes met where she lounged arrogantly in the doorway, a humorless smile on her lips. "K9?" She questioned sardonically and I felt my hackles rise at the none-to-subtle challenge in her tone.

 

"Air Force?" I drawled back and her feral grin deepened. I had taken note of General Hammond mentioning that in the earlier meeting, but had not really thought about it until now. This version of me had joined another branch of military service, had never been paired up with Cooper, had never suffered the accident… 

 

" _Teen ahgapoh_ ( _Do you love her_?)"

 

Now I stared in shock, utterly thrown by the harsh question in Greek. What the hell was she talking about? Again that humorless grin quirked at me and she strolled over. Those mad eyes burned into mine; searching for an answer to a question I didn't understand. Then she huffed and leaned out of my personal space. Cooper whined uncertainly and I automatically reached down to reassure him. 

 

"She doesn't mean anything to you then."

 

" _Peeoh_ ( _who_ ) _?_ "I couldn't resist asking. But she just smirked and walked out, confident that I would not follow. And, damn her, I didn't.

 

Two days passed in the surreal parody of normal life around the SGC. Every time I was forced to interact with my double, it became more and more uncomfortable. Then Doctor Carter began to suffer from the wrenching cascade tremors caused by her temporal displacement. It looked as though she was being pulled apart like multiple reels of film, the proximity to her temporal twin too much for reality to accept. After that, it was mere hours before my own double began to experience the same. All I could do was sit with them in the Infirmary while the others scrambled desperately for a solution. 

 

Once my evil twin Skippy slept, I wearily limped over to Doctor Carter's bedside to perch quietly. It was a bit of a shock when the pale blue eyes opened to regard me. "Try not to be to hard on her," she said quietly and I cocked my head. A quick gesture at the other Art was accompanied by a bittersweet smile. "She's been through a lot. Much of it courtesy of me, I'm afraid. At least now with us so ill, she won't try and kill Jack's double."

 

Oh boy… I was figuring out where this was going and desperately tried to stop it. "I… I only met Major Carter a few days ago. I don't know anything about her." No wonder my double had glowered so balefully at O'Neill. The man had it bad for his second in command; it was obvious if one knew what to look for… In the other reality O'Neill had obviously won Sam's affections away from my double. Ouch.

 

"I gathered that," Doctor Carter chuckled humorlessly. "My guess is that you'll like her just fine. My Art and I shared something very special for a long time."

 

Aw crap, that was more than I needed to know about Samantha Carter, I didn't care which version. There were memories in her fathomless gaze that disturbed me and made my heart ache in sympathy. This woman had been through so much… Without thinking about possible consequences, I reached out and brushed my hand over her forehead. Those crystalline eyes drifted shut and she willingly allowed the gesture. It seemed to ease her turmoil and I watched a single tear slip from under pale lashes as she drifted into sleep.

 

" _Leep-ahmay_ ( _I'm sorry_ )…" She breathed out on a broken sob as she slipped into unconsciousness, and I left my hand on her warm skin for comfort. My own heart ached as I fully realized what these temporal doubles once had before something involving O'Neill drove them apart. Part of me was curious to know more and part of me dreaded how that information might affect this reality.

 

Later, the two Carters pulled off some technological and logistical miracle I doubt I would ever understand. Major Carter was left standing beside me as the rest of SG1 passed through the Quantum Mirror with the temporally displaced. They said very little to us towards the end, our alternate doubles, and walked away without looking back.

 

"Well," I said quietly and Carter flashed me a sideways glance. "On a scale of one to ten, that was about a twelve on my weird-shit-o-meter."

 

Her bittersweet smirk was response enough.

 

## Life Goes On

 

(3-3-99)

 

Two days later, SG1 was unexpectedly called off for diplomacy duty. General Hammond was kind enough to allow me stand in the Control Room and see them off. They stepped through the shimmering Gate, first O'Neill and Teal'c, followed by Daniel and Carter bringing up the rear. With a quick wave from the last two, SG1 was gone. I couldn't help but miss them.

 

At a loss of what to do with myself, I found myself in Daniel's lab. He had been kind enough to give me run of the place while he was gone. There were books here, hundreds of them, and each with a fascinating title stamped across their spine. Languages, anthropology, archeology, mythology and a dozen subjects I couldn't even comprehend, shared space with artifacts and bits of technology from other worlds as well as this one. There were even a half-dozen books in one corner of a shelf relating to Carter's field. I was half-hoping to find an 'Idiot's Guide to Astrophysics'. With a handful of Daniel's collection and three books on astrophysics in hand, I curled up in my comfy chair and lost track of time.

 

I noticed Cooper's head and ears perk up at the same moment there was a light knock in the doorway.

 

"He-ey," Doctor Fraiser said quietly and I felt myself grin in response. It was cute the way she turned the short word into two syllables, and it was said in such a way that I figured she used it often. She looked uncharacteristically tired and approachable. It was a very fetching look on her.

 

"Hey," I responded automatically and humor lightened her expression as Cooper ambled over to say hello. I expected her to get on my case about being in here and not resting. The ache of stiff muscles told me she would be completely justified in doing so. Instead, she patted Cooper and stepped into the room. 

 

"Want some company?" She asked softly and surprise must have shown in my face because she winced and moved to turn away. Without thinking about consequences, I lashed out to grab a wrist. 

 

"I'd love your company, grab Daniel's chair. Maybe you can help me comprehend all this stuff."

 

"I doubt it."

 

The self-deprecating tone deepened my smile. Her lab coat was gone and I was surprised by how delicate she really was. She wore the semi-formal uniform so easily that I suspected she wore it most of the time. It was a good look on her, leaving her slender lower legs bare and allowing her to wear heels for some height. Jerking away my attention, I asked the first question that came to mind. "How are you doing?"

 

Brown eyes regarded me quizzically and she finally smiled. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to ask you that."

 

"Can't I be concerned for your health too? You look tired. Course, I haven't known any truly dedicated doctors who don't push themselves too hard."

 

"Mmm… comes with the job."

 

"Maybe, but I think it's more than that." While Doctor Fraiser made herself at home in the quiet lab/office, I let my mind drift back into memories. "There was this one doctor back at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, where I was sent to recover after the grenade. His name was Lieutenant Colonel Murphy Gladly and he was a crusty old bastard. I miss him. Every time I thought I couldn't bear one more night of agony or one more surgery, he'd be right there, kicking me in the ass to pull together whatever reserves I had left and keep going. And when he wasn't there, his staff kept on me."

 

"Are you telling me I'm being too easy on you?"

 

That dry comment earned her a laugh and I ignored the ripples of pain in my middle. "No. As many doctors as I've seen in the last two months, I've gotten pretty good at reading what kind of physician they are. You're a very different person than Colonel Gladly. Thank God."

 

Now she laughed with me and I was warmed by the sound. Like most physicians, she kept herself aloof, but the moments of warmth I had seen made it obvious why the staff of the SGC adored her so. It would be easy to misinterpret her sudden friendliness and I was determined not to do so. An awkward moment passed while that last thought passed through my head.

 

"So, what are you reading?" She finally asked and shook me out of my musings. 

 

"Hmm? Oh, let's see… 'Palace of the Gods, an in-depth study of Egyptian mythology'. 'Dances with Crocodiles, one woman's odyssey through ancient Egypt'. This one is the most interesting; it's called, 'The Links Between Us, a comparative study of the mythologies of ancient peoples'. The others are science books. Despite myself, I'm curious about Major Carter's specialty. Give me a year or two and I might even know what she's talking about."

 

"Oh, I think you're smarter than that, Sergeant. We don't understand how you interact with Cooper any better than you understand what we do. In a few weeks you'll see that I'm right. As for Sam Carter, she's gifted. Don't take it personally that she's over your head. After three years, I've only picked up the basics of what she does, but she knows the research end of my job as well as I do."

 

"So in a few weeks I can let her take Cooper home?"

 

How I adored making her laugh, as it was obvious she didn't do it nearly often enough. "Exactly. He'd like that, wouldn't you Cooper?"

 

Wagging his tail, Cooper butted up against the woman looking for attention. Carefully, I sat up and set the books aside. The stiff pain in my guts was tolerable and I gingerly twisted a bit to loosen the taut muscles.

 

"You're moving easier," Fraiser noted idly.

 

"I think the mild exercise is actually doing me good. In fact, I think me and Coop here are going to go for a walk. Care to join us?"

 

"Sure, let me get my things so I don't need to come back down below later."

 

"Are you done for the day?"

 

"Yes."

 

When we approached the elevator, Cooper began to prance with excitement. "Down Fuzzy, we're going," I admonished him fondly. "I think being trapped underground isn't sitting well with him. From now on, I need to take him above ground every day." 

 

Once we cleared the massive concrete arch that led into the Cheyenne Mountain facility, I took as deep a breath as I was capable of and gestured for Cooper that he could explore. After a moment hesitation, he loped off to sniff the edges of the compound fence. He constantly wove back and forth between the various fascinating smells and me. 

 

"I think your partner might not be the only one to benefit from the sunshine. You look happier than I've seen you yet."

 

An embarrassed grin accompanied my flush at her words. Did the small woman have any idea how alluring she was? I needed to rebuild my ability to shove my attractions away and I needed to do it fast. Sensing my discomfort, Doctor Fraiser called Cooper over and began to tease him. Barking madly, he danced and spun around while she laughed and egged him on. How I wished I could play with him again…

 

I was disappointed and relieved that Fraiser kept her distance after that afternoon. My time was spent attending various briefings with SG teams and reading voraciously in Daniel's office. Each time the klaxons went off from an incoming wormhole, I toddled off to the Control Room to watch. The spectacle of the Stargate in action had yet to wear off. Honestly, I hoped it never did. At the end of my first full week in Cheyenne Mountain, I witnessed the dark side of Stargate travel. When SG4 stumbled through the shimmering event horizon, half the team could not move under their own power. Hostile natives had attacked them, I found out later. While patiently going through my light exercise routine later that night, I obsessed over what I had seen. No one had been surprised by the wounded. They had scrambled to assist and then gone about their business. It must happen a lot then. That realization worried me immensely. Was SG1 safe, wherever they were? Was I brave enough to step into the unknown with them when the time came? Disheartened by that thought, I slept poorly that night and decided to spend my first weekend on the base. It was a good thing too. Halfway through my first day off, the klaxons went off and I limped out. As I wearily crested the stairs, I heard the technician address the room at large.

 

"It's SG1. Open the iris."

 

With the scrape of metal-on-metal, the titanium iris collapsed back into its housing along the back edge of the Stargate and we waited impatiently. First were the two Air Force officers with Teal'c's bulk stumbling out right behind them. Daniel dangled limply from the big man's arms and we all immediately worried.

 

"Medical team to Gate room. Stat," General Hammond called into the microphone and headed downstairs.

 

++ Fraiser ++

 

(3-5-99)

 

Inside the Gateroom, I saw Daniel's bloody frame hanging from Teal'c and scowled at the younger man with doctorly concern. "What have you gone and done now?"

 

"Biggest damn rabbits I ever saw. Nearly took his leg off," O'Neill growled irritably and Sam jumped in with a sassy comment.

 

"I told you they weren't cute."

 

"They seemed harmless enough," Daniel defended himself wearily.

 

While O'Neill explained to me what had happened and handed one of the nurses a specimen bag, I heard Sam address someone behind me. "Hey, how have you two been?"

 

Cooper wagged his tail and sniffed at the alien scents rolling off them in waves. Each team that they had managed to catch after returning to Earth had expanded his canine perceptions of the universe. But he still bristled at Teal'c, though not with the violence he had displayed during that first meeting. I prayed he would remain at Goldston's side and returned my attention to my patient. 

 

"Just trying to catch up. Death bunnies, Daniel?" Goldston teased lightly and he rolled his eyes at the comment. Daniel hissed in pain as I peeled away the torn cloth from his wounds. They looked to be mostly shallow and the blood had clotted up normally. His color was typical and he seemed more resigned than anything about the wounds. So I flashed him a reassuring smile and addressed the rest of the gurney team. "Let's get you to the Infirmary, I don't want any surprises. The rest of you report for your post-mission physicals as soon as the General is done with you."

 

They murmured agreement and I smiled at their reluctant tones. I had a thankless job and we all knew it. Once I was certain my staff had Daniel well in hand, I went to the biology lab to see what they had discovered about the creature that had attacked him. Half a meter tall with long arms, the beast looked like a blue-gray jackrabbit with vicious teeth and claws. Fortunately, there was no evidence of contaminants in what was left of it. Several gunshot wounds had torn the carcass up pretty badly. When I entered the briefing room, I caught some comment about being 'taken prisoner by a bounty hunter' and shook my head. Leave it to SG1to get captured like zoo animals and attacked by Death Bunnies…

 

My presence instantly got the attention of the room. "Daniel will be fine. There are no signs of toxins in the specimen you brought back and all of the lacerations should heal cleanly. But he's going to be off of active duty for the time being."

 

"Thank you doctor," Hammond responded and ignored the relieved and dismayed responses of the rest of SG1. Then he suddenly turned his intensity onto Goldston and she stiffened reflexively. "How much of those books have you absorbed Sergeant? Enough to be useful?"

 

"Yes, I believe so sir."

 

"Good. As of this meeting, SG1 is assigned to you while on base." His smile confirmed the unexpected joke. "You're now under Colonel O'Neill's immediate command. Don't get excited until you've had to work with him for awhile."

 

We all grinned at that and Goldston swallowed the humor dancing in her eyes. "Thank you sir, but I still haven't figured out what to do about Cooper and Teal'c."

 

"Then that would probably be a good first order of business. Are we done here?"

 

After a round of affirmative nods, we were dismissed. O'Neill gave Goldston a hearty handshake and a mocking glower. "Assigned to you, huh? Good, I've been needing someone new to torture, Carter's getting boring. Welcome aboard. You too, Cooper. Come see me later tonight at, oh let's say, 1800, and we'll go from there."

 

"Thank you sir. I'll see you then."

 

Teal'c gave us all a gracious nod before following the Colonel out and I felt bad for the big man. It was obvious that Goldston wanted to change the relationship between her dog and Teal'c, but wasn't sure how. I doubt they covered alien diplomacy in K9 training. Shaking of my worries, I followed the men out and returned to the Infirmary to catch up on my paperwork. Not five minutes later, I heard Sam's voice outside my door. "Hey Janet? Are you here? I need to try something."

 

"In my office, Sam."

 

A moment later, the tall blonde appeared with a vaguely unnerved-looking Goldston in tow. "I need the Healing Device." Instantly, I understood the hope in the pale blue eyes and gave her a questioning look. 

 

"What brought this on? That thing is difficult for you to use."

 

"I got to thinking in the briefing that I think I can help Goldston here. At least this time I can use it on someone I actually like. Not some damn Goa'uld that…" Sam's voice trailed off and her eyes were stormy. Memories of saving Cronos' life for the safety of Earth obviously still bothered her. Then she looked over to Goldston and the younger woman stiffened under the intent stare. Sam turned to grab one of Goldston's forearms and stare intently into the dark eyes. "That first day you asked me to trust you. Now I'm asking you to do the same in return."

 

"Okay," Goldston managed to reply unsteadily. "But could you explain what's going on?"

 

"No, because if this doesn't work I'm going to feel awful."

 

"Wait, wait Major," Goldston pleaded and set her free hand over the taut knuckles gripping her arm. "I do trust you, but you're freaking me out."

 

In all honesty, Sam was obviously just nervous, but it was understandable that Goldston was a bit unnerved. I was suddenly fascinated by the contrast of their skin, strawberries and cream against café au late. What an amazing, erotic distraction… It took real effort and a quick shake of my head to suppress my runaway imagination. Too many years of off and on fantasizing about Sam and too many days of being in this new woman's magnetic presence. "Come with me, both of you," I quietly instructed and they obeyed with no hesitation. In a secured storage room, I went to a cabinet and efficiently worked my way through its locks. Once it was opened, I slid out the drawer inside to reveal the Healing Device and the Hand Device. For a random moment, I had to wonder how odd these alien constructs must appear to Goldston. One looked like a flat flashlight with an opaque red lens and the other an incomprehensible jumble of wire and rigid gold curls with a glittering ruby stone set in the center. Picking up the former, I leveled a sober stare at the two of them. "This is a Goa'uld Healing Device. I have no idea how it works, but believe me it does. But…"

 

"But," Sam jumped in. "Only a Goa'uld can make it work. Or me. It's draining to use very hard to activate. I have no idea if it can help you, but I sure as hell want to try."

 

Now Goldston understood the case of nerves as Sam took the small object from me. A reluctant hope began to ignite in the dark blue gaze. To be free of the constant pain and weakness was quite an offer. "Major, if that thing can do what you're implying it can do, I'll trust you with my life."

 

That earned a shaky smile and Cooper pawed Sam's leg with a short bark. "Given the circumstances, you can call me Sam."

 

++ Art ++

 

My grin chased away the last traces of her nervous jitters. It surprised me how delighted I was to receive the gift of her first name. When I offered a hand, she grasped it and I thanked whatever was listening for her unexpected friendship. It was even more heartening to see the sentiment reflected back from her pale gaze.

 

"Thank you… Sam," I said to her quietly and her fondness deepened. Smiling warmly from our emotional display, Doctor Fraiser led the two of us into a quiet corner of the ward.

 

"Are you certain you're up to this?"

 

While I made myself comfortable on the bed, Sam nodded in response to Fraiser's question and slipped the Device over her right hand. Without thinking, I grabbed that wrist and our eyes met. "I really do trust you."

 

"Thanks…"

 

"Call me Art. It's perversely amusing that both our names shorten down into boy's names."

 

That earned a chuckle and she took a relaxed stance next to the bed. "I'm sure that's not what our folks intended when they named us. Why did they name you Artemis anyway? It's unusual."

 

Since she was so obviously trying to distract me from whatever it was she was going to do to me, I obliged. "My paternal grandmother was born in Greece, and immigrated here after World War Two. I was her first girl grandchild and she bullied my dad into naming me Artemis."

 

"Wasn't she one of the Greek Goddesses?"

 

The hand with the Healing Device turned over so the red lens faced my trembling stomach. When Fraiser unexpectedly slipped a hand into mine, I gratefully squeezed her fingers and kept my eyes on the Device. "Uh yeah, she was the moon Goddess and protector of unmarried girls and animals. She was also the Huntress."

 

It began to glow, and Sam's attention became utterly focused. Tendrils of smoky, yellow energy began to undulate out and drift down. Before I could panic, they touched my body and the most incredible sensation fired through my nervous system. Like thick honey and warm water, it flowed over the pain, slithered throughout the hasty reconstruction of my tattered insides and coiled into every nook and cranny. Doctor Fraiser was speaking soothingly, but I couldn't tell if it was aimed at Sam or myself. Then, as abruptly as the strange energy had appeared, it was gone. Sam wavered unsteadily on her feet before grabbing the bedrail and blinking back to herself. "How do you feel?"

 

"Good. _Polee kahlo_ ( _Very good_ )," I giggled happily at the euphoric sensations still buzzing along my nerves. Without thinking, I let my body work itself into the luxurious cat stretch it so desperately wanted to do… and froze. It was the most astonishing sensation I had ever experienced. For almost two and half months I had been under the influence of painkillers or crippled by twisting agonies. And even on the best days I could not stretch. There was simply too mush scar tissue and nerve damage to allow it. They began to smile at the incredulous expression on my face. Still in a state of shock, arms comfortably above my head, I took a deep breath. A wonderful, lung-expanding chest-full of air that made my head swim with too much oxygen.

 

"Well?" Sam asked warmly and I responded in the only way that seemed appropriate. 

 

I laughed.

 

A deep, rich sound that echoed off the Infirmary's uncaring walls and made the observing women smile wider. It felt wonderful to let my feelings have free rein without worrying about being doubled over in agony at any second. There was some pain radiating out from my middle body, but it was a dull, distant ache. So I did something else I had been desperate to do for a long time and sat up under my own power. Tears of happiness on my cheeks, I twisted to pounce on a grinning Sam and squeezed her with all my shattered strength.

 

"You're welcome," she whispered and hugged me back.

 

It took awhile for me to calm down long enough to be coherent. When Fraiser checked my scars they looked the same. We surmised that the Device must have healed the nerve damage and the most traumatic of the internal injuries. Cooper seemed confused by my sudden ease of movement, especially when I knelt to lovingly rough up his big head. But he whined and wriggled happily while licking my face and ears. Once we calmed down it was time for a more thorough examination, which I happily submitted to. It was the most amazing sensation to suddenly be able to move freely again. Sam left the room to visit Daniel and give Fraiser room to work. As the good doctor closely scrutinized my scars, I realized how much sensation had been masked by pain and damaged nerves. Her touch tickled like mad and I kept giggling irreverently. Finally she swatted me across the hip and I laughed and laughed and laughed. My joy was so infectious that she was soon carrying on with me and Cooper barked along with the chorus. After that, she shooed me off to see Daniel and returned to her day. But the smile lingering around her mouth would not go away.

 

"Hey! I'd tell you congratulations, but you haven't had to actually work with Jack yet," Daniel enthused at me when I stepped into his room. Both he and Sam smiled at me as I hooked a stool to join them. There were tears lingering in the corners of my eyes and I absently brushed them away. "What was so funny? We could hear you laughing all the way in here. And I don't think I've ever heard Janet laugh on duty before."

 

"Nothing in particular Daniel, I just feel so damn good it's making me a little giddy."

 

He flashed Sam a look and she smiled faintly. "So the Healing Device really did the trick? Shame it's so exhausting for Sam," he teased and grinned warmly at his flustered teammate.

 

"I never thought I'd get this kind of freedom of movement back again. Especially not this soon. Now I can really be an asset to SG1."

 

"Great. It'll be nice to have some new blood in the group. So what did you learn while we were away?"

 

By the time my meeting with O'Neill approached, I had impressed them both with what I had absorbed from their library. They wished me goodnight when I left with a happy bounce in my step. It was amazing how good I felt. In fact, I was so euphoric that it took far too long for an important fact to make its way through the haze. 

 

Where the hell was I supposed to find the Colonel?

 

There was only one figure within my field of vision, a tall man in fatigues with silver glinting on his shoulders.

 

"Sir?" I called out and he turned around to flash me a curious eyebrow. In a glance, I took in the Marine Corps markings on his chest and the silver birds on his epaulets. It only took a moment for him to return my crisp salute. "Sergeant Artemis Goldston, sir."

 

"Colonel Robert Makepeace." His eyes flickered to my side where Cooper stood and the faint smile lingering on his face deepened almost imperceptibly. "What can I do for you, Sergeant?"

 

"I was wondering if you knew where I could locate Colonel O'Neill, sir?"

 

"No problem, I'm headed down that way anyway. C'mon."

 

It had been very infrequently that I had dealt with Marines and this one seemed far more laid back and approachable than most.

 

"He's a real handsome animal," Colonel Makepeace drawled softly and I gave him my best grin. Anyone who complimented Cooper was good in my book.

 

"Cooper's the best."

 

"SG1 taking good care of you?"

 

"Yes sir, they've been terrific."

 

"Good. If they don't, you come see me."

 

The comment was accompanied by a wry grin that made me smile with real warmth. "Absolutely, sir."

 

He chuckled softly and gestured to a half-open door. "He should be in there. See you around Sergeant Goldston. You too Cooper." With an unhurried stride, Makepeace continued on his way deeper into the SGC complex.

 

"Thank you sir," I said only just loud enough to be heard and could sense his smile. A quick rap on the doorframe got me called into O'Neill's office. I came to attention at the edge of his desk and saluted. "Reporting as ordered, sir."

 

For a long minute, O'Neill leaned back in his chair and regarded me with a sardonic expression. I was beginning to sweat as he withheld the return salute. He knew perfectly well that it was against protocol for me to drop a salute to an officer without getting one in return. What was he waiting for? It seemed an eternity before he halfheartedly returned the salute and waved negligently at a chair. "Park it, Goldston. As much as I appreciate you adherence to duty, if I have to salute you back every damn time I deal with you, it's gonna drive me nuts."

 

That earned him a puzzled look. "Sir?"

 

"Look, I know you're supposed to salute officers and all that, but trust me, Carter and I don't care for the formalities unless we're under the microscope. That pretty much goes for everyone around here. If you see a stranger, by all means, go into formal mode, but other than that, forget it. Got it?"

 

"Uh, yes sir."

 

"Good. Here's some paperwork and reports that will get you started on day to day life here." Abruptly, his attention sharpened. "Hey, why are you moving so easily all of the sudden?"

 

My temporarily forgotten euphoria flooded back along with my idiotic grin. "Major Carter introduced me to the Goa'uld Healing Device, sir. I haven't felt this great in a very long time."

 

Now he grinned with sincere warmth. "Excellent, now you can be one of the Scooby gang. Be careful not to overdo it for awhile or the Doc will have your hide."

 

"Absolutely sir."

 

We talked for awhile and he offered me some valuable information about my surroundings. When I was dismissed, I habitually saluted, and chuckled uncomfortably when he only glowered back in response. There was no venom in it and I decided not to take it personally. His quick grin reassured me and he shooed me out.

 

Far too wired to sleep, I went in search of the gym. I was discouraged by my weakness of body during my workout, but was determined to get my earlier peak condition back as much as I could. Pleasantly tired, I headed back to Daniel's lab to try to unwind from my busy day. Unfortunately, I couldn't concentrate and found myself staring absently into space. My behavior in the Infirmary earlier had been uncharacteristic and I could still remember Janet Fraiser's laughter. Not to mention those incredible velvet eyes and her gentle touch. I was obviously in the throes of a full-blown crush. 

 

"Great, just what I need," I muttered into the empty lab and held Cooper's comforting bulk against my chest. This was going to be difficult to say the least.

 

(3-6-99)

"So, Art," Sam's familiar voice jolted me out of sleep. "Are you in the habit of falling asleep sitting up?"

 

"I've slept under worse circumstances," I mumbled and rubbed my eyes.

 

"So have I, but not when I have a perfectly comfortable bed only a few hundred yards away. Are you trying to undo all my work from yesterday?"

 

Grumbling, I uncoiled from the chair and let my stiff muscles relax. Even with the abuse of the uncomfortable position I had left them in all night, they still felt great. Then I fired Sam a dirty look and was surprised to see she was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. "You're in civvies."

 

"Yep. SG1 is on stand down for a few days. Nice thing about having a hazardous job is that you get lots of downtime. Care to join me for a quiet day on the town? I already asked Colonel O'Neill to let you off the hook for the day."

 

"Sure, that'd be great. Let me grab a quick shower and change of clothes."

 

"I'll be in the Infirmary with Daniel."

 

My footlocker hadn't arrived yet, so I was forced to stick with the uniform, but I left the green fatigue shirt on its hanger. The only jacket I had was a lightweight standard issue with the K9 corps patches stitched into the shoulders. As I looked at them, I longed for patches to match my new position. When I walked into the Infirmary, Sam gave me a long-suffering look. "I take it your footlocker hasn't arrived yet."

 

"Nope. I haven't worn anything but a uniform or hospital issue in so long I don't even remember what my civilian clothes look like. Remember that I was in Bosnia for a year before that grenade. Not much call for civvies in a war zone. How are you feeling Daniel?"

 

"Decent. I'll be back on my feet in a few days. None of the lacerations were as bad as they looked."

 

"Glad to hear it, 'cause when there's time, I have a million questions about those books I've had my nose buried in."

 

"Can't wait. Have fun today you guys. Bye Cooper."

 

While we said goodbye, Cooper licked Daniel's hand and let the man stroke his pointed ears. Once above ground, Sam led me to a battered Jeep that had been some indeterminable shade of green in another life.

 

"Nice wheels," I mocked her and she laughed.

 

"It gets me around when the weather's too iffy for the Harley. Get in."

 

Thankfully, my new freedom of movement allowed me to half climb into the back seat after Cooper and slip the seatbelt into the special loop on his body harness. Assured of my partner's relative safety, I flopped down into the passenger's seat and settled in. We spent a pleasant day wandering around the nearby city of Colorado Springs. Lunch was in a funky little café at the foot of a steep mountain cliff where I had to persuade the staff to let in my dog. Once they had been assured he was a trained military police animal, they were okay with it. Since I had forgotten to bring him food, a hot dog from a street vendor sufficed. I made him perform a series of tricks before feeding him, and both Sam and the small crowd that gathered cheered the performance. It was the most fun I had experienced in far too long. We shopped like bored housewives and I bought a few changes of clothes that let me dress casually at last. By the time dusk gathered, I was pleasantly tired and it was growing chilly as we watched the sunset. Sam sank down beside me with two cups of coffee and a smile. "This was fun. You make a decent date, Goldston."

 

I was so shocked that I spluttered into the coffee and sent half of the cup down my shirt. Sam, damn her, laughed until she fell over onto her side and sent Cooper off into a fit of barking. Mildly irritated at her unexpected humor, I smacked her across the shoulder and scowled at the hot liquid rapidly growing cold on my once-white shirt. Even as we laughed over her comment, it made me think. Despite my dirty little secret, I didn't feel that way about her. Sam Carter was rapidly becoming the best friend I had made in years and she was smart and funny and good-looking. But I guess she just didn't tweak me the way cute little Doctor Fraiser did. It would be far easier to just be a friend, anyway. There were too many complications about being closeted and in the military. But the memories of our alternate reality doubles nagged at me… 

 

++ Teal'c ++

 

A sudden shift in perception alerted me that I was no longer alone. "How may I assist you, Sergeant Goldston?"

 

It was early enough that I had expected at least another half an hour before having any companionship for the duration of the day. Tension was drawn in every line of her body like a wary huntress walking into unknown territory. "I'm in need your assistance."

 

The hesitant tone of her statement intrigued me and I nodded. So she entered the room we of SG1 use for informal briefings and sat in the chair most often occupied by Daniel Jackson. With refreshing directness, she stared into my eyes as though taking the measure of me. Then her dark curls canted to the left in mimicry of Cooper. It was only then that I realized that he had not accompanied her inside.

 

"You are without your canine partner, Sergeant Goldston."

 

"Yes. I left him with Doctor Fraiser to guard the Infirmary."

 

Instantly, I was alarmed. "Is there a danger to the medical facility?"

 

"No, no," she quickly placated and raised both hands. "It was merely a convenient distraction for him. There's no danger. Somehow you and I need to figure out how to build a working relationship. I believe that it will require only time and patience."

 

Offhandedly, I noticed that she had slipped into a more formal speech pattern. The respectful gesture warmed me. "Very well, what do you propose?"

 

In the end, it was a simple matter of spending time in her presence. Firstly, we traveled to the Infirmary where she acted as though there were nothing unusual about my presence at her side. The animal's amber eyes stared at me in equal part wariness and curiosity. Perhaps there would be a chance to build a rapport with them after all…

 

We developed a routine from that initial conversation. Each morning she would join me in the informal briefing room before the base was busy. We would discuss various subjects in a clear, straightforward manner that was a considerable relief from the other members of SG1. While those much-loved Tau'ri may have become my new family, they had made little attempt to accommodate me in this way. After only the third day, Cooper appeared to have forgotten completely that he had once been full of distrust for me. Only then did Sergeant Goldston smile easily.


	3. The Amazing Mr. Cooper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooper gets a chance to prove his talents and Art bonds more closely with the people that are starting to mean so much to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: This one is way PG, but the subtext is getting a bit thick in places…
> 
> Pairings: Still only hints…

++ Sam ++

 

(3-10-99)

 

"So what is it?"

 

The expected question earned Art an indulgent expression. I'd been alone in my lab for some time, but recognized her uneven tread when she had entered. Even after almost a week after the Healing Device had done its job, Art still walked a bit awkwardly. Janet had guessed the limp was psychosomatic and would correct itself with time. Nodding my head towards the small block of grayish metal on the table, I answered her question. "It's Naquada. It powers most of the Goa'uld technology. It's also the substance that's in my blood from Jolinar. As a heavy metal, it's denser than lead."

 

I was almost beginning to expect the friendly and supportive touches from her, but was grateful for the warm hand on my shoulder anyway. "No wonder you got so excited when Colonel Makepeace handed it to you."

 

"Yeah well, this is a particularly pure quantity and I need it to run some experiments."

 

"Did he know that?" A dirty look flashed her way did not seem to have an effect on Art. "I can picture your single's ad right now. Smarter than the average bear, active at all hours. Turn ons, motorcycles, Naquada, astronomical rates of speed…"

 

For that, I reached out and thumped her in the thigh, earning a bark of laughter and an 'ow'. It was amazing how quickly she had begun ribbing me. Did I have some invisible sign on my forehead that read, 'torment me, I like it'? Just because Makepeace was good-looking and friendly meant nothing. Cooper nosed up against me, looking for attention and I distractedly obliged. Slowly Art's teasing grin faded as she watched me pet him. It was a strange, intent look that stilled my hands. "You say that stuff powers most of the Goa'uld technology?"

 

"Yes. Why?"

 

"Can I borrow it for a minute?" Before I could reply, she had snatched up the little bar of Naquada and stepped back. Dammit, she was more nimble than Daniel at stealing my technology bits. "Jeez, it is heavy you weren't kidding… Cooper, come," she said in that tone she only used when she was instructing him. Instantly, he was standing in front of her, eyes riveted on her hands and face. I was captivated by their interplay, my experiments forgotten. There was a series of verbal exchanges, the Naquada shifting to different locations on Art's person until Cooper could pick it out with no error. She rewarded him with lavish praise and small treats that were habitually in her pocket. Finally, she came over to me and pressed the little bar into my hand.

 

"Here Sam, put it in your pocket and let him find it." Once I had complied, Art again addressed Cooper. "Find the Naquada, Cooper. Find it."

 

It was not much of a challenge and within seconds he was pawing urgently at my leg and whining in excitement. We continued the training games until Art finally shoved Cooper over and played with him roughly. Once he was panting with exhaustion, Art wearily climbed to her feet and fired me an intense look. "Can you gather a half-dozen or so pieces of the stuff powered by this Naquada? I need to arrange a training exercise."

 

(3-12-99)

 

Two days later, I found myself participating in one of the stranger training exercises of my life. In my pockets were two Page Turning Devices, a matching Tablet Device and the power core to my Naquada reactor. Elsewhere on base, Art had the Hand Device, the Healing Device, two strips of the invaluable Naquada and Teal'c's Staff Weapon. Once he had learned of the exercise, the precious weapon had been willingly handed over. Art was properly respectful of the gesture and won points with the rest of us. When I spotted a familiar figure, I quickened my pace and called out, "Colonel Makepeace!"

 

He turned and those sharp eyes flickered from my face to the Tablet Device in my hand. For the thousandths time, I had to wonder if there wasn't something hiding in his impassive gaze. And for the thousandth time, I had to wonder if I wanted there to be.

 

"Dare I ask?"

 

The wry humor made me grin. "I was hoping you would participate in a training exercise for Cooper sir."

 

"Training exercise?"

 

"Sergeant Goldston has trained him to detect Naquada and we need to prove he's accurate." Yanking one of the Page Turning Devices from a pocket, I held it and the Tablet Device out to him. "Would you mind hiding these somewhere? The less they smell of Goldston or myself, the better."

 

Smiling slightly, the big man took the objects from me and dropped them into his pockets. "No problem Major. When do they need to be in place?"

 

"The exercise begins at 1300 hours. Just be sure to remember where you put them just in case Cooper can't live up to his reputation. Thank you for participating sir."

 

"My pleasure."

 

Tossing him a loose salute that was somehow an almost fond gesture, I continued on my way and tried to ignore the feel of his speculative gaze on me.

 

My next stop was even better. By sheer coincidence, I had ended up with the half of the base containing the Infirmary. There were scattered smiles from the staff when I walked in, and it amused me greatly that they automatically pointed me in Janet's direction. She was just stepping out of the back hallway and welcomed me with a smile. "He-ey."

 

"Hey," I acknowledged back. 

 

"Thought I'd let you know that the background check has finally begun for my psychiatrist pal so that Cass can have someone to talk to freely."

 

That made me smile. Cassandra was the teenager that was the sole survivor of a Goa'uld poisoning her offworld village. SG1 had brought her back to earth and Janet had adopted her. Having a professional shrink with a heart to be there for Cass would be great for the traumatized girl. Friendly-as-wet-cement Mackenzie, the SGC's shrink, impressed no one and Cass would benefit from someone better suited to her and Janet both. I brought myself back on track with a grin. "That's great, but right now I need your help with something."

 

"Sure."

 

Firing the staff a mockingly serious look, I palmed one of the half-sphere shaped PTDs. "No comments from any of you."

 

Janet squeaked in surprise when I stepped into her personal space and slipped both hands around her waist. She schooled her shock into sarcastic irony with practiced ease. "I assume you have a perfectly good explanation for manhandling me," she commented dryly.

 

"Humor me." Quickly, I tugged at the back edge of her uniform blouse until it made a neat little pocket. Still grinning at the amused consternation dancing in her dark eyes, I tucked the PTD under the waistband of her skirt. A quick pat assured me that it should stay put. "Congratulations Captain, you've just been volunteered to participate in a training exercise. Don't move that thing." Hugely amused by all of this, I turned to the others. They looked as though they were trying to pretend none of this was funny. I singled out a cute male nurse and coaxed him over with a teasing finger. "Do me a favor," I explained flirtatiously and held out the small reactor core. "Find a place to hide this where it will be difficult, but not impossible for a really smart dog to find."

 

Comprehension dawned along with a smile across his features as he took the core. "Yes ma'am."

 

Rubbing my hands together, I glanced around in satisfaction and ignored Janet's amused glower. "Well, I think I've wreaked enough havoc for today. As you were people."

 

And to a chorus of amused 'yes ma'am's', I left to finish hiding the last PTD.

 

++ Art ++

 

"Attention all personnel. In ten minutes a K9 training exercise will commence. Some of you were randomly chosen to participate and I trust you have done so to the best of your abilities. Sergeant Goldston and Major Carter will be escorting Cooper about the base as though this were an actual raid. They will be armed with unloaded pistols and everyone is expected to play along. If there is anyone who may be uncomfortable with the dog's attentions, the commissary is designated as a safe zone for the duration of the exercise, which will last three hours."

 

General Hammond's voice faded from the PA system and I could well imagine that the base was abuzz now. In my quarters, I finished checking over Cooper's shadrack harness and stood to finish gearing up. Fluorescent orange vests with 'K9' painted on chest and back marked Sam, myself and Cooper. After checking that my weapon was empty, I traded with Sam so that we could double-check one another. For the rest of the wait, I knelt to spoil my partner with affection until it was time to begin. "We'll show 'em, won't we boy?"

 

Anxious and excited from the upcoming challenge, he whined and nuzzled up to me.

 

"Okay Sergeant, you're ready to go."

 

Sam was my backup for the 'raid' and was taking it mostly seriously. Two pairs of handcuffs hung from each of our belts and we were rarin' to go. A few more tense minutes passed by and Sam checked her watch. "It's time."

 

" _Epiteloos_ ( _finally_ )."

 

"Lead the way Sergeant."

 

"Cooper," I instructed as I grabbed the leash. "Find the Naquada. Find it. Go!"

 

It was a good thing I had been working out, as he effortlessly yanked me out the door and down the hall. The hunt was on!

 

It was the most fun we had had in far too long. Cooper found various bits and pieces of Goa'uld technology, including some that was not part of the exercise. A lab technician was surprised to be the first 'arrest', but gamely let Sam cuff him while Cooper looked on proudly. Sam was impressed by his accurate nose until he suddenly paused in a featureless hall and began sniffing around. "It's blank concrete. Where could someone have hidden something here?"

 

"Patience Major, patience."

 

For long moments, Cooper was baffled. Then his head snapped up and I knew he had it. Instantly, he was at full reach up the wall and pawing the concrete urgently. When I looked up, I had to smile. "Hey, give me a boost."

 

Cupping her hands, Sam bodily hoisted me up the wall until I could just reach the thick pipes running the length of the hallway. Sure enough, there was a flat, textured object there. It turned out to be the Tablet Device.

 

"That Makepeace is a devious bastard," Sam commented respectfully and I knelt to lavish praise on my partner. When we broke into Daniel's lab, he was initially shocked to find himself facing a pair of drawn pistols. But he let us arrest him and hand him off to a passing guard. There was so much random alien crap in his lab that I finally had to drag Cooper out of there. "C'mon Cooper, we only have an hour left."

 

By coincidence, the Infirmary was our last stop. There was only the reactor core and a PTD missing, and only fifteen minutes to find them. We were running out of time. "This is a raid, nobody move!" Instantly, everybody complied as Sam and I moved into the big room. "Find the Naquada Cooper. Go!"

 

We were all tired and keenly felt the approaching deadline. All business, Cooper ignored Doctor Fraiser and nosed around urgently. He quickly zeroed in on the reactor core in a cabinet in a storeroom. Sam looked disgruntled that it had been so easy.

 

"One more Cooper, you can do it." 

 

He so desperately wanted to please me; I could see it in his eyes. But when he suddenly went for Fraiser, I sensed he had given up. That is, until he bypassed her greeting hands and began sniffing her over. Instantly, I brought up the pistol and flashed the small woman an apologetic smile. "Sorry Doc, hands up." She did so with a long-suffering sigh. Cooper worked his way around to her back where he sat and began pawing her in an inappropriate place. "Major Carter, is the suspect covered?"

 

"Suspect covered," she replied in a voice tight with repressed hilarity. Fraiser just glowered.

 

"And you said Colonel Makepeace was devious with his hiding spots," I murmured only just loud enough for the two of them to hear. Only after Fraiser's mouth curled in a grin did I finally call off my enthusiastic dog. "Cooper, sit."

 

The pistol was holstered as I swallowed hard and started to frisk her. Where was the damn thing? I had never expected to be this close to the woman and distractedly noticed how nice she smelled. Desperately, I tried to ignore that thought and the feel of her warm flesh under my hands. And in the small of her back I found what Cooper had worked so hard for. Grinning into the doctor's warmly amused eyes, I pitched my voice so that the whole room could hear. "Time Major?"

 

"Two hours and fifty-two minutes."

 

Tucking my hand down the back of Fraiser's waistband, I saw something flash across her dark eyes. For an instant, my heart was in my throat and heat rushed across my skin.

 

++ Janet ++

 

The abrupt and brief burn of feeling in Art's sunset eyes startled and scared me. But not half as much as the answering flare of heat in my own body did. Oh, the feelings she evoked in me… Darya would laugh and say, 'I told you so'. Since I had initiated the process of involving my old psychiatrist pal in the SGC only this afternoon, she easily came to mind. After triumphantly tossing the body-warmed PTD to Sam, Art gently drew my hands in to the small of my back where my skin still tingled from her touch. The icy grip of metal on my wrists shocked me. "You're under arrest, Captain Fraiser, for possession of a Naquada-powered device. Come with me."

 

With a gentle grip on my cuffed wrists, Art escorted me past my amused staff and down the hall. In a conference room near the Gateroom waited Hammond, Daniel and Lieutenant Brady from biology.

 

"They got you too, huh?"

 

I managed to smile back at Daniel while Art fumbled with the cuffs. "Yes. Thanks to Sam planting that thing on me earlier today."

 

With a huff of amusement, Sam ignored my dirty look and brushed by me to dump her bag of goodies next to the General. "That's every Device we planted and a few more besides. Technically, Daniel didn't have any of the target Devices, but we figured arresting him was good reinforcement for Cooper."

 

"Excellent. Is there anything we need to go over for a debriefing Sergeant?"

 

"No sir, we'll just need to keep practicing to keep his skills sharp."

 

"Is he ready to meet a host?" Art stiffened in alarm and he quickly reassured her. "Not like that soldier. We received a visitor about half an hour ago. If you get a strong grip on your partner there, I'll call him in."

 

Art sat in a chair to curl a hand into Cooper's harness as well as the grip on his leash. The fascination she kept calling up in me was showing no signs of abating and I was startled when Sam bumped up against me like a friendly cat. "Sorry if I embarrassed you."

 

"Oh, that's okay. It was for a good cause."

 

With a few terse words into the phone, Hammond settled in to wait. In only moments the door swung open and Sam lit up. "Dad!"

 

An answering grin spread across Jacob Carter's face as his daughter pounced on him. "Sam, how are you?"

 

"This is a wonderful surprise. I'm great."

 

Just as I suspected, Cooper laid his ears flat and glared in a predatory way at Jacob. There was no surprise on Art's face, so she must have been told about his being a host for the symbiote, Selmak. Cancer had convinced Jacob that joining the ranks of the Goa'uld-like good guys, the Tok'ra, was a better fate than death. Even if meant having an ancient, serpentine creature that could take over his body at will, living under his spine. Jacob held Sam at arm's length and smiled indulgently. "Dare I ask?"

 

It took a moment for us to realize that he was referring to the day-glo orange vest she was still wearing. "Yeah, you look like you killed a traffic cone for its hide," Art remarked. "I see the fashion sense runs in the family." A startled quiet fell over the room as Art's shocked expression morphed into red-faced embarrassment. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" Scrubbing at her rosy cheeks, Art muttered under her breath, "inside thought, inside thought, inside thought."

 

I couldn't help myself and snerked with repressed humor. The strange, almost primitive-looking clothes the Tok'ra habitually wore were a little silly looking among all the stark uniforms on base. Jacob was in a linen tunic with patches of some kind of reptilian animal hide and soft boots. My small, strangled noise set Sam off and soon we were both laughing out loud. Jacob gave his daughter an indulgently amused grin before turning the expression on the mortified Art. Taken aback but pleased by the expression, she hesitantly smiled back.

 

"You must be Art. Sam and General Hammond have told me about you. And this, of course, is Cooper." His smile deepened and he added in a dry tone, "at least you didn't make any naugahide comments." Art's expression became downright delighted as he pitched his voice into a bad stage whisper. "The snake really hates those."

 

That one made even Daniel laugh and General Hammond release one of those short huffs of humor usually reserved for O'Neill. It wasn't often, if ever, that hosts teased about the creatures they shared their bodies with. As if conjured up by the witty repartee, O'Neill appeared in the doorway with a look of curiosity. "Why are Daniel and Carter always laughing around you Goldston?"

 

That made all of us laugh even harder, including Lieutenant Brady. O'Neill merely rolled his eyes and walked into the room to sit on the table beside Daniel.

 

"Good to see you again Jack," Jacob smiled as he wiped tears of merriment from the corner of his eye. Then he turned his amused gaze back to Art and she grinned almost challengingly at him. "So, why are they always laughing around you?"

 

For a moment she had to think, the dark blue eyes unfocused with concentration. Then an evil, mischievous grin spread over her dusky features like a sunrise. Her tone was droll when she replied, "Jimmy, Shaq and Michael here are an endless source of inspiration sir." 

 

A long beat passed while we processed that one and Art's amusement deepened while she waited. Then General Hammond chuckled in amusement, "I get it. Jimmy Carter, Shaq O'Neill and Michael Jackson. Excellent play on words Sergeant."

 

While we all dissolved into hysterics yet again, Art dropped into a deeply mocking bow and basked in the attention.

 

## Family Ties

 

++ Sam ++

 

Later in the Commissary, both Art and my Dad were still bantering back and forth like they'd known each other for years. I swear he was flirting with her and she was four years younger than me for crying out loud.

 

"So we've been looking for her for some two hours now, scared out of our minds, even her brother Mark was terrified." I knew this story like the back of my hand… hell I was its star, but couldn't he have found a better place then around my coworkers to tell it? Art was howling with laughter as my Dad animatedly continued. "So an employee finally takes us to the nurse's station and there she is, eating ice cream and flirting with the whole staff. Didn't even miss us!"

 

Struggling to get a grip on herself, Art leaned over to grab Dad's arm and gasp, "well, it is the Happiest Place on Earth!"

 

Now they were both cracking up and I was just plain embarrassed. With my head in my hands, I was taken aback by the friendly arm around my shoulders. When I turned my head, the merriment in Art's eyes made me grin despite myself. "Don't sweat it Sam," she cajoled lightly. "I've done stuff a thousand times worse than wander off at Disneyland. _The-eh mou_! My god! My brothers wanted to string me up on a regular basis, I was  such a troublemaker!" She shifted her attention to include my Dad and continued in that same, jolly voice. "See, my sister, Zo, was too smart to get caught, being the devious artist in the family. No puns on the name, of course."

 

"Of course," I drawled sarcastically and they both chuckled. It seems my faint annoyance had finally registered when Dad suddenly became a bit more serious.

 

"So, Art. George wanted me to help you train Cooper. Any ideas?"

 

"A few. How long can you be here?"

 

"I have almost two days. Will that be good?"

 

"For the basics, yes. But he'll need reinforcement to really pick up the new trick. Will you be able to come back within the next couple of weeks?"

 

"If not me, then I'm sure we can send somebody."

 

"Great! So, the first thing I need is a signal for him," Art mused thoughtfully and sprawled back in her chair to eye her partner speculatively. Cooper immediately perked up, his wary eyes leaving Dad to focus eagerly on her. "Come Cooper." Instantly, he was on his feet and she buried her hands in his ruff to pet him lovingly and leaned over him. "Good boy," she crooned softly and his tail wagged. "You've been behaving so well, how about a new trick? Hmm?"

 

That earned a slobbery lick and a whining bark in accompaniment to his eager wiggling. Dad and I chuckled as she continued to spoil him until he was relaxed. Then the dark eyes fired Dad a mischievous look.

 

"So you call your symbiote a snake?"

 

"Only when I'm being a pain in the neck," Dad drawled and we chuckled. "The analogy works. Why?"

 

" _Okheeah_ ," Art said softly in her beautiful native tongue. "It means 'viper' in Greek. Too obvious?"

 

"As long as you don't run into any Goa'uld System Lords impersonating the Greek pantheon," Dad smiled and we both gave him long looks for that. Darn perverse host humor. "Sorry. _Okheeah_ will do just fine for a control word."

 

"Done. Now I need a hand signal."

 

The rest of the evening was spent hammering out details and teaching them to Cooper. The hand gesture consisted of holding the fingers of one hand like a loose bundle of sticks, or an open-mouthed Goa'uld, and weaving it back and forth like a hunting snake. Cooper was to lower his head and swing it back and forth if he smelled something like Dad. Eventually, I yawned and Cooper licked me across the mouth. "Bleach, Cooper," I complained unconvincingly and he did it again. That earned laughter and Art stretched like a cat.

 

"I'm exhausted. Will we see you tomorrow Jacob?"

 

A grin eased his face and we both smiled back. "Yes, unless something comes up. I'll say goodbye just in case."

 

It was still so good to be able to hold him close after so many years of estrangement. My mother's death when I was sixteen had effectively torn my family apart for fifteen years before cancer and Selmak had brought us back together again. Dad's eyes were gentle as we stood close for a long moment.

 

"You look good Sam. I'm glad." 

 

"Thank you. I think I like having a dog around."

 

I felt Art's smile, even though I had my back to her. Dad squeezed me again before going to my new teammate. "You'll take good care of her?"

 

"With pleasure sir."

 

"Good." And with that, my once-aloof and stoic father swept my friend up into a big bear hug that made her laugh and hug him back. "Welcome to the family."

 

Her arms tightened convulsively and I couldn't resist going over to wrap myself around them both. When Art did speak, her voice was low and husky with emotion. "I'll do you proud sir. Both of you."


	4. Part of SG1 For Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The K9 unit finally get to experience what being part of the SGC is all about! Certain relationships deepen, begin to become so much more…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Okay, I'm kinda hinting at an R rating. Girl couple ahead, so don't be shocked when you get there…
> 
> Pairings: Oh, the girlie couple in question will be quickly apparent…

++ Art ++

 

(3-14-99)

 

SG1 had kept me endlessly busy for the eleven days since returning from their incident with Aris Bock, the alien bounty hunter. There were SOP to memorize, weapons I had never handled, sciences I had little comprehension of. I grew to look forward to my early mornings with Teal'c. Colonel O'Neill had turned out to be an adept boxer and kept me on a regular workout schedule. We sparred while Cooper egged us on and ensured I did not push my out-of-shape muscles too hard. Sam and I grew closer, our friendship the brightest spot in my life. SG1 took me drinking a few times and regaled me with tales of their exploits and what to expect from Stargate travel. A few times they even stuck both of us in a chamber and blasted us with some freezing chemical that frosted skin and fur and clothing almost instantly. Bright lights would flicker maddeningly along with a wavering high-pitched hissing and violent buffeting winds that made us both cringe. Only when Cooper stopped getting freaked by the treatment were we called into the briefing room.

 

"Well Sergeant? Do you think you and Cooper are ready?"

 

For a long moment, I was too terrified to answer the General's question. Then I swallowed hard and straightened up under the weight of my responsibilities. "I believe so sir, but perhaps we should keep it simple the first time."

 

"Agreed. A jump to a safe world is authorized for Cooper's sake, and yours. You shouldn't find any surprises on the other side. SG1, report to the Gate room at 1400 hours. Dismissed."

 

Not until I had saluted and began walking out did the reality of what was about to happen sink in. We were going through the Stargate. In less than two hours I was going to stand on the soil of another planet and feel the warmth of a different sun on my face. Swallowing the exhilaration and fear, I followed my teammates.

 

"Sergeant, come with me," O'Neill's voice drew my attention.

 

"Yes sir."

 

Silently, he led the five of us to Stores and waved to the Lieutenant there. Moments later, a pile of gear was placed on the counter and O'Neill pulled out a handful of heavy military-green material. "Thought you'd be more comfortable in new gear. Welcome to active duty on SG1, Sergeant First Class Goldston."

 

I opened my mouth to question his suddenly calling me Sergeant First Class, when I noticed that they had modified my uniform. On the shoulders of my new BDU's were the coveted patches of my new posting above the K9 shield. One was the SGC crest and the other proclaimed me a member of SG1, both set in easy-to remove Velcro backs. Beneath them were the familiar three chevrons and one gold rocker that I had worn for so long. But enhancing them was a second gold rocker of the promotion to the next level of being a Sergeant they had snuck in on me. A month ago, I would have never considered myself ready for the responsibility of this high of a rank. Bewildered and not a little choked up by the moment, I took the fatigue shirt from his hand and ran wondering fingers over the various patches on the material. Then I came back to myself and did the only thing I was capable of. I snapped off a stiffly formal salute and the gesture was instantly returned, accompanied by one of his winning smiles.

 

"Just glad to have another non-scientist on board," he chuckled and gave me a friendly smack on the arm. "We outnumber them now. Congratulations."

 

Sam and Daniel were full of good wishes and Teal'c gave me one of his regal nods. Someone had even gone to the trouble of modifying a shadrack for Cooper that also bore the SG1 patches. I gathered up the helmet, flak vest, fatigues and the various webbing gear before heading for the armory with my team. The Lieutenant there assigned me a standard pistol and a bulldog-nosed MP5 semi-automatic machine gun that was heavy in my hands. I signed for the clips of ammo and slid them into guns and pockets alike. With that done, I swallowed my queasy case of nerves and returned to my room for the backpack and a change of uniform. It felt entirely too weird to be in BDU's once more. The last time I had worn them had nearly been written on my death certificate. The look on Cooper's face when he saw me suited up for action mirrored my own insecurities. I knelt and hugged his furry body close to me.

 

"I know this is hard, but we have a job to do," I whispered fiercely into his ruff and for long moments, neither of us moved. Then Cooper twisted in my hold to lick my face and sniff me over. With a quick, practiced series of moves he was buckled into his gear and bulky canine flak vest. Small saddlebags were settled over the shadrack and packed with food, water and a few other essentials. Then I gathered up the backpack and we reported to the Gate room. With a stern eye O'Neill gave me the full inspection before handing me the radio and earpiece as the others arrived. 

 

"You ready for this?"

 

"As ready as I'll ever be."

 

"Beginning dial-out sequence," sounded over the speakers and the Stargate churned to life. I tugged on fingerless gloves as the chevrons began locking into their familiar sequence. Giving Cooper a last loving pat, I slipped the leash's loop over my wrist and waited for the Stargate. It did not disappoint. All these times I had witnessed it function and it was still mind-boggling. Only this time was different, much different. We were going through this time. Sensing my nervousness, Sam elbowed me hard enough to distract me away from the exploding event horizon. "Did you bring your antacids? This made me sick the first time I did it."

 

"Great, now you tell me."

 

Woodenly, I followed her up the ramp, rifle in one hand and Cooper's lead clenched in the other. She paused as O'Neill and Teal'c were swallowed up by the shimmering surface with that odd sucking noise. With an encouraging grin, Daniel followed. It was truly beautiful close up like this, shimmering with iridescent beauty. "I'll be right behind you Art."

 

And with Sam's comforting voice in my ears, I gave Cooper a tug and we stepped in.

 

Some great force grabbed my unsuspecting body and yanked me into a tailspin through a tunnel of smoke lit by a million stars. They danced and spun in a rhythm all their own and all I could do was try to be a good audience. Before I could comprehend the sound and light show, I was spat out on the other side. Tumbling like a toy thrown by a child, I felt the lead wrench my arm and heard Cooper yelping in alarm. It took a desperate effort to gather my wits and I rolled to my knees to find him struggling to his feet next to me. "Come Cooper. It's okay buddy. It's okay."

 

After tugging him into my lap, I clung to him and whispered soothingly until his shaking began to subside. We were iced over and my insides felt like we were still in the wormhole. Daniel knelt beside me while the others secured the perimeter. "Well, you made it. Any opinions?"

 

"I don't think I'm ever going on a rollercoaster again."

 

I felt guilty at not helping my fellow soldiers, but they had things well in hand. With a sympathetic chuckle, Daniel helped me to my feet. Feeling my stomach rebel again, I fumbled in my pockets for the bottle of antacids Fraiser had given me before the Healing Device did its work. Curiosity began to take the edge off the experience as Cooper and I looked at our surroundings. There were scattered ruins at the edge of an old growth forest a few hundred yards away. The foliage was too blue and the sky too green. Nose down, Cooper tugged at the leash and I let him lead me after Daniel.

 

++ Janet ++

 

Only four hours after releasing them from their pre-mission physicals, SG1 came trooping back into the infirmary. The veterans were indulgent, the dog subdued and the new kid looked shaken from the wild ride. "Well Sergeant, it looks like you survived. How are you holding up?"

 

"Okay, I guess. I'm not sure I'm supposed to feel this sick though."

 

Mildly concerned by her weak tone, I hustled the woman over to a gurney and gave her the once-over. After a few minutes, I was convinced she was only showing the usual symptoms of first-time-through-the-Stargate queasiness. "You'll be fine. The first time I went through I felt like someone had pulled me inside out."

 

"That's as good an analogy as any."

 

"Oh, your footlocker came in."

 

That comment definitely got her attention and dark blue eyes scanned the Infirmary until they rested on the big metal trunk propped up in a corner. "Excellent. Now I can play that guitar again," she breathed softly to herself. It was unlikely that she realized that I was still listening and I self-consciously turned my attention to her partner. When I knelt beside Cooper and fussed over him, the dog began to perk up slowly. Only when he finally licked my chin did I leave him be. About that time, Sam and Jack came over to collect their teammate and give her a hard time. "So, you gonna live?"

 

Faintly glowering at her superior, Art sassed O'Neill right back. "It'll take more than that damn Gate to take me down sir."

 

He laughed and walked away. "Yeah, you'll do Sergeant. You'll do."

 

Sam grinned at Art and pulled the dark woman to her feet. "I believe you were just complimented by our esteemed leader."

 

"That was a compliment?"

 

"Yep, he'll start threatening you once he really likes you."

 

"Oh joy."

 

Their bantering left me feeling left out and I made the offer without thinking. "Why don't you successful jumpers come over to my place and celebrate tonight?"

 

Art seemed taken aback by the offer, but Sam lit up. "Great! Is Cassandra around?"

 

"Yes. I'm fairly certain she doesn't have any plans tonight."

 

"What time?"

 

"Sixish? It's a school night, so I'll have to throw all of you out at a decent hour."

 

"No problem, I'll send the guys for bar-be-que stuff. See you then Janet."

 

Firing me a cautious, yet pleased, smile, Art followed Sam with a murmured farewell and I smiled at the puppy-dog shyness on the normally self-assured young woman. They hauled out the footlocker between them, laughing about the effort they were putting out. Their interaction warmed me and I fired off a quick self-warning to remain unattached. It was a depressing thought because I still found myself drawn to the dark woman. My lingering attraction to Sam was nothing new to me; I'd been dealing just fine with that as long as I'd been assigned to this project. Shrugging off the introspection, I went for the phone to warn Cassandra we were having company. She of course, was ecstatic and I warned her that her homework had best be done or she would not be hanging out with the others. All willingness and sunshine, she promised to have her schoolwork complete and the public areas of the house neat before we showed. It was still pleasantly odd to have my adopted daughter in my life, and I hoped it always was. I never wanted to take her for granted.

 

When I arrived home, Cassandra had done a remarkable job with both her schoolwork and the house. So we pulled out various disposable plates and the like while we waited for SG1. "So, are you ready to meet Cooper?"

 

"He's the dog that's assigned to SG1 now, isn't he? Do you think Starjumper will mind?"

 

On cue, Cassandra's funny-looking mutt padded into the room to be fed. I still thought the poor thing looked like some kind of inane cross between a German shepherd and a Pomeranian. "I hope not. But don't worry, Cooper has terrific manners."

 

The flash of headlights in the driveway sent Cassandra rushing for the door. Sighing, I finished feeding Starjumper and he gave me a grateful look before digging in. The babble of Cassandra and the men's voices carried into the house as they greeted one another. Soon the kitchen was full of bodies and bags of groceries. "Well, now that you fellows have stocked us up for a month, who wants a crack at the grill?" It was quite cold outside and no one seemed ready to volunteer. So I chuckled and gestured at the kitchen in general. "Feel free to use the facilities if the weather's too much for you."

 

They probably glared at me when I walked out of the kitchen and left them in Cassandra's care. When there was a knock on the door, I fully expected to see Cassandra come flying out to answer. She did not disappoint. Squealing in delight, she pounced on the tall woman who stepped in. "Sam!"

 

"Hey! How have you been?"

 

"Good. We're starting algebra next week," Cassandra enthused.

 

"How fun. Didja finish your homework?"

 

Cassandra rolled her eyes expressively and sassed back, "you doctors are always nagging me. Yes, I finished my homework."

 

"Careful soldier," Jack added as he stepped into the room. "You're sounding insubordinate to a superior officer."

 

We all laughed and Cassandra finally took note of the stranger standing patiently behind Sam. Struggling loose from Sam's hold, she ducked around the woman… and froze.

 

++ Cassandra ++

 

When Sam said he was a big dog, I didn't know she meant that big. He looked more like a small horse with his pointed ears reaching halfway up his owner's ribcage. Curiously, he cocked his head at me and sat down to show me his pale belly. "Wow," I breathed after a moment. "He's huge."

 

Hesitantly, I shrank back into Sam and Cooper began wagging his tail. I knew it was a friendly gesture, but his size still intimidated me. Smiling winningly, the black-haired woman holding Cooper's leash knelt down and wrapped a casual arm around his shoulders. "Hi. You must be Cassandra. This is Cooper and I'm Art. He won't hurt you, I promise."

 

Sam half-crouched to wrap one arm around me and reached out with the other to ruffle Cooper's ears. "Hey, he didn't wag his tail for me the first time I met him. I think he likes you," she told me in her best trust-me voice.

 

"Really?" So I once again trusted her and reached out to touch Cooper's forehead. He was soft and warm and looked at me with patient amber eyes. "Is he a German shepherd?"

 

"That's exactly what he is, good eye. Colonel O'Neill tells me you have your own dog," Art replied and I felt myself warming to her. It wasn't easy for me to trust people here, but she seemed really nice. Cooper was a beautiful animal with his fur patterned to look like he was wearing a black cape and face mask in contrast to the dark gold fur on his sides and legs. Starjumper kind of had the same markings, but much paler and fluffier. When Cooper sniffed at me, he was very careful not to get too close until I started to relax.

 

"Yeah, Jack brought him to me. His name's Starjumper, and he has almost the same markings, but he's just a mutt."

 

"Mutts make some of the best pets. Cooper has to do way more than just be a pet."

 

"How tall is he?"

 

"32 inches at the shoulder."

 

"Wow. How much does he weigh?"

 

"He's a little on the light side right now. Only 95 pounds. We'll both bulk up again with more exercise."

 

When Art smiled again, I grinned back and held out a hand. She took it and Sam took the other so I could lead them both deeper inside the house. "Come on in. I think Daniel is cooking with Teal'c, so it should be edible."

 

I tugged Art into the living room and made her sit beside Mom so I could ask questions to my heart's content. She patiently answered all of them and showed me some of the stuff Cooper could do. It was amazing. With the smallest of gestures or a single word he would do all kinds of behaviors. Mom watched with that faintly indulgent expression she gets when I'm doing normal things. I know she worries about me a lot, it's one of the reasons I care about her so much. Finally Art stood up to come over to stand beside me. "Here, let me show you a couple of commands. Hey Sam, pay attention; you wanted to know this stuff. Okay Cassandra, you have to look him in the eye and speak firmly so that he knows you're giving him an instruction."

 

Soon Cooper was letting me tell him to roll over on his back or lie down or sit back on his haunches with his front paws dangling. It was tons of fun. At dinner, he sat quietly by my chair while Starjumper got used to having another dog in the house. Art didn't seem to mind at all that her partner was hanging around with me and I loved it. While they talked, I played with the two dogs and fed them scraps when Mom wasn't looking. Once Daniel and Sam got into one of those conversations no one else understands, the rest of us began to clean up. When Mom bumped into Art, I was surprised to see her flush in embarrassment. How weird, Mom almost never got embarrassed. Looking a little flustered, Art knelt down beside Starjumper and gently began to make friends with him. Soon he was standing on her bent leg to sniff and lick her face, which she patiently allowed. Cooper looked faintly disapproving and I laughed at him. "Do you think they're okay enough to go play in the backyard?"

 

"Sure," Art answered me readily. "Go grab your coat and we'll give them both some exercise."

 

"Great! Back in a minute!"

 

We all ended up outside in the cold where we took turns throwing tennis balls for the two dogs. I think Cooper was letting Starjumper get most of the tosses out of good manners. It was hard to believe my mutt could outmaneuver the bigger animal. But eventually, I caught Mom and Sam trade one of those patented 'mom' looks and everyone started getting ready to go. I hugged Cooper goodbye and surprised Art by hugging her too. "You promise to come back and visit me?"

 

"Absolutely, soonest chance I get."

 

"Great, I'll look forward to it. Bye Cooper."

 

Pleasantly tired, I slept easily that night; happy I had made some wonderful new friends.

 

## Male Humor in Uniform

 

++ Jack ++

 

(3-15-99)

 

"If it were any colder, I'd need arctic gear."

 

A sharp glare at the Marine on guard ensured that he didn't so much as flicker an amused expression. Despite being leader of the number one team and proving myself a thousand times over, I still felt like the damn jarheads were judging me because I was Air Force. But at least he was bundled up as heavily as I was. A bark echoed through the thick fog and drew my attention. Visibility was lousy, maybe three meters at best.

 

"The last two mornings they've been over at the north fence sir," the Marine said dispassionately and I glared at him again. Why was I taking out my irritation about being tired and hungover on him? Probably for the simple fact that he was convenient. But I made myself grumble a 'thank you' and waded out into the fog. This was the last time I drank at the Doc's house. There was a surprised grunt of something that was almost pain from Goldston and Teal'c voice responded, "Your reflexes are still inadequate, Sergeant Goldston."

 

"Have patience Teal'c, less than two weeks ago I could barely walk under my own power, much less fight. What is it Cooper?"

 

At that very moment the dog melted from the fog and gave a short bark of acknowledgement at me. "'Mornin' Cooper. Dare I ask why you three are out here at such an ungodly hour in such ungodly weather?"

 

"Training sir. Teal'c has been a terrific help to me."

 

++ Art ++

 

The two men traded sardonic glances before O'Neill drawled, "oh really?"

 

Damn them, I never saw it coming. O'Neill dropped into a leg sweep while Teal'c shoved me from behind. My breath left me in a startled rush as I went crashing to the cold ground. For a long moment I lay there before rolling over and rubbing my sore chin. "Point taken sirs," I acknowledged the rough lesson and climbed to my feet.

 

"Do ya wanna box a little? If you're done letting Teal'c kick your butt, that is."

 

"Sure. I should be done in an hour or so."

 

"Great. See you two at breakfast," O'Neill said casually and vanished into the fog with a negligent wave. 

 

"Teal'c?"

 

"Yes, Sergeant Goldston?"

 

"Is he always like this?"

 

"Yes, Sergeant Goldston."

 

" _Thavmahsio_ ( _wonderful_ )…" I drawled sarcastically and ignored Teal'c's speculative eyebrow.

 

An hour later or so later, I was grumbling at the scrapes on my hands and the bruises on my elbows and forearms where I'd broken my various falls at the hands of Teal'c and O'Neill. I'd had to cut the boxing match with my CO short so that I could go straight to the locker room. The four hours a day thing sucked, but at least it kept me on a schedule. Someone suddenly crashed through the door hard enough to send both Cooper and I to our feet to see Sam, chuckling as she regained her footing and turned to the figure filling the doorway. It was Major Taylor, glowering balefully at my blonde pal.

 

"C'mon, you two. Some of us have just gotten back onworld and need a damn shower."

 

Without looking, Taylor reached behind her to hook a small redheaded woman by the back of the neck and kind of tossed her into the room. Scowling good-naturedly, the small woman stumbled over to her locker and flashed a grin. Up close, I noted that her rank pips were different and wracked my memory. "Navy?" I asked tentatively and received a grin.

 

"Army?" She chuckled, gesturing at my chest where ARMY was written on my t-shirt. Meeting her brown eyes tinged with green, we laughed together. "Petty Officer First Class Ainsley McFadden. Call me Mac, everyone does. That your handsome dog there?"

 

"Yeah, that's Cooper, my partner. Staff sar… I mean Sergeant First Class Artemis Goldston."

 

"Pleased to meet you, and Cooper. It'll be nice not to be the only departmental oddball around here."

 

Mac smiled as she pulled off her dirty fatigue shirt and dropped it on the bench. "You're not going to ask?" There was good-natured resignation in her tone as I picked up the dirty shirt to examine it. 

 

"SG3," I mused. "And a caduceus."

 

"The Marines aren't smart enough to be doctors," she smirked and shucked the rest of her clothes to hit the shower.

 

"Department of the Navy," I suddenly remembered out loud. "The Marines are part of the Navy. They don't have their own medical corps."

 

"Exactly," she called over her shoulder. "Few remember that. Good memory."

 

Around the corner, Taylor suddenly sing-songed, "Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines." Then she snorted derisively, "just one big happy freaking family. Sam, you just gonna stand there?"

 

Blinking owlishly, Sam rubbed her tired eyes and wandered to her locker. The Air Force women had obviously been working out and were beat. Half curious, I watched Sam start to undress as Mac and Taylor bantered back and forth like old pals. Suddenly Mac yelled, "Carter!" And a wad of soaked material smacked into Sam's chest hard enough to nearly knock her over. The look of shocked indignation set even me off into peels of laughter. The scientist/soldier really did take herself too seriously. When Sam didn't take the bait to join in, Taylor stepped around the corner, twisting a towel expertly between her hands. Mac swooned in mock horror, "run for your lives! Mommabear's got a towel! We're all doomed!" Sam's expression grew dismayed as she looked around her. There was nowhere for her to run as Taylor stalked over with the twisted rat-tail of damp terrycloth. So, in a soaked undershirt and her cotton panties, Sam leapt for the door.

 

"Wait!"

 

Taylor's shout came to late as Sam stumbled through the doorway and crashed into the tall, fatigued figure there. The dark man looked taken aback for a moment before holding something out to Sam. "Could you give this to Mac? She left it in the briefing room." A quick, appraising glance over Sam's scantily clad body was accompanied by the smallest of smirks as he intoned, "Major," and walked away. Flushed from ankles to hairline, Sam leapt back into the locker room as though the hallway was on fire. The whole thing was hysterical, and I tried not to laugh, but it was just too hard. My guts ached from laughing and it served me right.

 

It took some kissing up, but Sam decided that she wasn't mad at us for teasing her so, and we went our separate ways, clean and happy.

 

# Time Marches On…

 

++ Sam ++

 

(3-16-99)

 

After a wearingly long and intensive three weeks at the SGC, I finally dragged Art out by the collar of her jacket for a day off. Sputtering in half-hearted protest, she had glared at the soldiers watching our antics with amusement. After a couple of simple errands, including a light trim for my pal's wild curls, we were now two of the few dozen people in the lovely little park some twenty minutes drive away from the base. Shading her eyes from the bright afternoon sunshine, Art looked over to where her partner barked happily at a squirrel.

 

"So, what do you think?" I asked finally.

 

Art barely flickered as I set the cooler beside her before flopping down to stretch out in the warm sunshine. She'd been very quiet since our outing to Janet's and I was mildly concerned. So, while the middle of March was early for a picnic, I decided to take advantage of the unseasonably warm day. Even better, there were only four groups in the whole park, including ours.

 

"About?" That earned her a long-suffering look before she answered my question. "This place is nice. Relaxing, isolated and quiet. Thanks for bringing me here."

 

"My pleasure. I found this place with Cassandra last summer."

 

A long silence hung over the two of us, tinged with unusual awkwardness. I studied Art's profile closely as the younger woman stared at the distant trees. What was hiding behind those mercurial azure eyes? We had become good pals these last few weeks, but there was a line that she had let no one pass. It wasn't that SG1 hadn't tried. At first it seemed that perhaps it was the accident that kept her from getting too close. But she had been fairly open and honest with everybody about her feelings on that. I was at a loss as to what was bothering her. With a sigh, I sat up and mimicked my friend's posture. Legs drawn halfway up, arms thrown loosely over knees and studying the trees. A long time passed between us. Finally, Art flashed me an amused glance out of the corner of her eye. "Something buggin' you Sam? You seem a little anxious."

 

There was a fluttery feeling in my guts and I realized that I was nervous. Something told me I shouldn't continue, but I had to know. "We're friends, right?"

 

"Yeah. You've been the best."

 

"Then what's bothering you? It's driving me nuts." She seemed surprised by the pleading note in my voice and looked over. Gently, I set a hand on her arm. "You can trust me you know."

 

There was the oddest expression on Art's face. Somewhere between fondness and terror. The sunset eyes flickered down agitatedly and I tried to decipher the quick glance. What was there except the collar of my t-shirt and... Inadvertently, my gaze went to the same place on her throat. There was indeed something there, the familiar dog tag chain glinting against Art's dusky skin. So I reached out and hooked it with a finger. She flinched but did not pull away.

 

"The dog tags?"

 

She wanted to say it so bad she was practically shaking. Of course, Cooper realized she was upset and rushed over to neatly bowl us over with his enthusiasm. But he soon agreed to lie panting beside us. The tension was not as thick now, but neither of us had forgotten the earlier discussion. Art ran both hands over her face and into her curls.

 

"Not the tags," I mused quietly. "But what they represent."

 

Art did not answer, but her face gave her away. What could possibly be bothering her so much? The dog tags represented our service to the US Military. So that could only mean that something was conflicting with her duty. But from everything I had seen and the extensive background check had turned up, Art was a good soldier. Except for a couple of minor incidents, she was loyal and dedicated and had left a trail of satisfied co-workers behind her. A life-threatening injury had not managed to kill her and her canine partner was happy and well adjusted. I was at a loss and my expression must have said as much.

 

From the corner of her eye, Art watched me and growled in frustration, "Dammit Sam, I can't talk about it. I really can't."

 

One hand dropped to clutch her tags hard enough to make the metal grind together despite the rubber silencers along their edges. "Okay, but can you really keep it locked up inside like this?"

 

The dark blue glare made me look away. "I have to."

 

An awkwardness that had never been a part of our relationship before was suddenly between like a malevolent living thing. It made Cooper look from one of us to the other and whine plaintively. After a long few minutes, I twisted to grab the soft-sided cooler and pull it into my lap. 

 

"Hope chicken salad is okay," I said in a neutral tone and she seemed relieved I had changed the subject.

 

"Thanks."

 

Woodenly, we ate our lunch in the warm spring sunshine. When I saw Art wince queasily, I silently handed over the container of powerful antacids. As she mechanically chewed them, I kept my eyes trained on the now familiar facial features. If I could read the stone-faced Teal'c, surely I could pick up this one woman's subtle shifts of mood. With her guts upset from stress, Art was oblivious to the scrutiny for once and Cooper hovered protectively but did not interfere with his stricken Handler. Then I saw it, a flicker of something subtle as the agony in her stomach subsided. Quickly, I shifted my gaze over to where Art stared sightlessly at the distant tree line. There were a half-dozen young adults horsing around in the sunshine. One of the girls was taunting her pals as someone went scrambling for some fallen piece of sports equipment. The lad came up to snap a bright blue Frisbee at her. Effortlessly, she returned the throw and they traded the disk back and forth. Still uncertain I understood Art's wordless fascination, I moved my gaze from my friend to the young people playing nearby. There was something wistful and terrified in Art's expression. Then it clicked so abruptly that it took all of my considerable willpower not to snap my head back in shock. It was not the game that Art watched so hungrily, but the healthy young bodies playing it. More specifically, she watched the fit young woman as she continued to trounce her buddies while laughing and taunting them.

 

The widening of my eyes drew Art's attention and she finally turned her head. She knew I knew, of that I was absolutely certain. And just as Cooper had feared me upon our first meeting, Art feared me now. It struck me like a physical blow to see the terror shade Art's eyes pale. It all made sense now, the nervous behavior around Janet and the way everybody was kept at arm's length. At that moment, I decided I liked my new friend enough to take a very big risk for her. Ignoring the puzzled and frightened expression, I gently tugged the silver dog tag chain over her head. Yanking my own off, I turned to the nervous Cooper. "Cooper, come here." Both sets of aluminum tags were tied to the collar beside his own pair and I gestured to the sprawling park. "Go play. Go."

 

Numbly, Art nodded and Cooper reluctantly moved off to watch over us from a distance. Again we sat side-by-side and stared at the distant trees.

 

"You can talk if you need to. As far as I'm concerned this conversation will never officially happen," I intoned in a flat voice before softening and wrapping a gentle grip around her bare forearm. "Our friendship can survive this Art. I'm offering to listen as Sam, if you need me to."

 

An endless moment passed while Art's internal battle raged. Then slowly she crumpled into herself and the first sob tore itself loose. I could only gently drew her into a half-embrace and let her cry. Wracking, painful sobs shook Art's frame as she collapsed into my lap and I stroked her curly hair helplessly. The afternoon shadows lengthened as the emotional storm gradually passed. Quiet settled as Art's weight grew heavy where she was draped across my legs. The outpouring of years of silence and loneliness had been too much for her and she had fallen asleep. Gently, I ensured that my friend was comfortable and watched Cooper lay beside her. I ached in empathy to Art's pain and, for the first time in my Air Force career, hated the rule that had caused it. Until this moment 'don't ask, don't tell' had meant nothing to me. But now I cared about someone who was suffering in silence and there was nothing either of us could do about it.

 

"This sucks Cooper," I mused softly and he could only whine in response.

 

++ Art ++

 

There was no gentle transition between sleep and wakefulness this time. My eyes snapped open and I looked around in confusion. It had grown chilly and I was clinging to Cooper's warmth almost desperately. Beneath my head, something stirred and I automatically recoiled. Then our eyes met and we both froze. It had been a long time since either of us had felt so awkward around another person.

 

"Art? I meant what I said earlier," Sam said in an impossibly gentle tone and nervously, I smoothed both hands over my wild hair in an eternally futile gesture. Part of me wanted desperately to give into the faith in Sam's eyes, but I was so damn afraid. Then I noticed that there were still three sets of tags hanging from Cooper's collar. It was such an amusing, inane sight that humor bubbled up from my battered soul. When I grinned unexpectedly, he licked my face in relief. Batting at the six tags all tangled up together, I tried to bring my thoughts into a coherent pattern. "I haven't really talked to anybody about this."

 

"Mmm. I gathered as much. When did you know?"

 

"Six weeks into K9 training."

 

"Damn."

 

"Yeah… now you know why I'm still in uniform. I couldn't leave him."

 

Cooper rolled over onto my legs and whined to have his belly scratched. Having Sam in on my secret had lifted a huge weight off my soul even as it brought my fear into sharp focus. Neither of us knew what to say and I felt the distance between us keenly. When had I come to care about her so much?

 

"So," I began in a slightly strangled voice. "Now that you know my dirty little secret, trade me?" Sam sighed heavily and nodded for me to continue. I had to know if my instincts were accurate. "How do you feel about O'Neill?"

 

Under different circumstances, the look on her face would have been priceless. Then her shock turned into uncomfortable introspection. "I… I don't know exactly," she managed to rasp out haltingly. "There's a… bond there, but we've ignored it for so long… it seems kind of redundant now. Must be hormones or something."

 

It cost her a lot to admit that out loud. There was a suspicious glassiness to her eyes that made my heart ache in sympathy. So I spoke again in my gentlest tone. "You do like Makepeace, right?"

 

Again I shocked her and she reflexively elbowed me in the shoulder hard enough to knock me over.

 

"And you like Janet," she growled in embarrassment and softened when I flinched. "Until this afternoon, I hadn't thought anything out of the ordinary with your behavior around her. Except that you often get really uncomfortable. But she is your doctor and that freaks some people out."

 

For long moments I stared up at the cloudless sky and struggled with myself. "Yes, you're right," I sighed and Sam sprawled out beside me.

 

"But not me?"

 

She sounded terrified of what my answer might be. The little perverse part of my brain chortled madly and I ignored it. Once again I remembered my mad-eyed temporal double and the confessions of the tortured civilian doctor version of Sam who had been so like my friend and yet so unlike her. "Not that I know of," I temporized awkwardly, not willing to analyze my feelings to closely in fear of what I might discover. "You've been the best friend I've made in years, but I guess you're just not my type."

 

The answering chuckle was warm. "No non-stereotypical blondes for you, huh? Can't be the brains, Janet's as smart as me, easy."

 

Now it was my turn to laugh and I was relieved we seemed to be able to handle this. Cooper imperiously wedged his bulk in between us and sighed happily. "I wish there was something I could do," Sam mused wistfully and my heart warmed.

 

"You already have, Sam. You already have."

 

++ Sam ++

 

It just didn't seem like enough. Art continued to stare up at the slowly darkening sky with that bittersweet expression on her face. It broke my heart. And how had she guessed that I did find Makepeace attractive? Damn, I thought I had been more discreet than that. When I said as much, Art laughed softly and her mood finally lightened. "You have been discreet Sam, I was just trained to be very observant when dealing with people. I was an MP for eight years remember? I had to be able to read soldiers in particular to be efficient at my job. If it's any consolation, I think it's mutual. He's a nice guy."

 

What a weird day it had been.

 

"Art?"

 

"Hmmm?"

 

"Would you be willing to stop by and see Cass? I know it probably means seeing Janet, and I'm not trying to push you or anything, but…"

 

"You're rambling."

 

"I'm nervous dammit. I don't want either of you getting into trouble."

 

"I know that Sam. No, by all means let's go get the rest of your 'family' and take 'em out to dinner. I've been acting like a normal person for so long, I'm sure I can keep it up for the sake of the SGC."

 

Art struggled to her feet while I sat up and pinned her with a serious look. "But what if she likes you too?"

 

That one set Art back on her heels. Fear and hope chased across her face and she swallowed hard. "Then it truly sucks to be me."

 

Neither of us had anything to add to that bitter statement. So I called from a nearby payphone while Art tidied up our stuff and hauled it to the car. While I spoke with an excited Cassandra, I was hugely amused to see the young adults we had been observing earlier come over to admire Cooper. Art waved them away until she could introduce them properly and it looked to me that the interest Art had paid the girl earlier was anything but one sided. So I kept chatting with Cassie to give Art a little time with the young adults. By the time Cassie finally managed to get rid of me, the young people were bidding Art a fond farewell.

 

"Always amazing what the dog drags in," she observed wryly and I laughed. There was a subtle pleasure dancing around her features from the young woman's attention. It was good to see after the rocky afternoon we had experienced. The drive passed peacefully and I pulled in to the driveway beside Janet's pretty little Saturn coupe. The moment Art opened the car door, we both shivered.

 

"Sheesh it got cold fast. I'm going to need to change," Art exclaimed and reached back to grab her bag and release Cooper from the seatbelt. We barely had time to exit the car before Cassie was upon us.

 

"Sam! Art! Cooper! Hi!"

 

The first hug went to me, then Cooper and finally to Art. 

 

"Since I promised to come visit, Sam thought this would be a good time. We're going to take you out to dinner if that's okay with…" Art's voice trailed off as Cassandra bounced over to the door with Cooper on her heels. 

 

"What's wrong?" I asked softly.

 

"Umm, the Doc never gave me permission to call her by her first name." 

 

That made me chuckle at her consternation.

 

"Mom," Cassandra called. "We have company."

 

"Oh?"

 

In the moment that Janet came to the door and laid eyes on us, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the attraction Art felt was anything but one-sided. There was a startled pleasure in Janet's brown eyes coupled with a nervous body language that spoke volumes about her feelings about Art. I was both thrilled and terrified for them. 

 

## And the Subtext Thickens…

 

++ Janet ++

 

(3-17-99)

 

It was a gorgeous early morning, the sky faintly rosy and perfectly clear. Despite having slept poorly, I smiled in delight at what was shaping up to be an amazing sunrise. The scent of coffee filtered through my still-sleepy brain and drew me like an automaton into the kitchen. This was the last time I slept on that horrible air mattress, especially with multiple bodies on it. That thought made me pause and stare out into the ripening dawn. This wasn't the first time Sam, Cassandra and I had stayed up far too late and fallen asleep in a big pile. Why had I slept poorly this time? That answer was easy and disturbing. 

 

Artemis Goldston.

 

All night I had been aware of her intent eyes on me. Dark and enigmatic, she drew me like a moth to flame, taunted me like a purr in my ear. And scared the hell out of me with the nervous promise in her compelling gaze. A flicker of movement caught my eye. When I identified the sight, I was frozen to the spot.

 

Like the huntress Goddess whose name she bore, Art stalked the early morning like a lithe predator. But what was she doing? It looked like some graceful, exotic dance, her body weaving into a complicated and beautiful series of fluid combat movements. There were subtle hand gestures, a slow-motion kick that looked like something only a ballet dancer should be able to pull off. As my banal upper brain rationalized that the martial arts skill did not surprise me, much more base thoughts were bubbling up from a place deep inside. 

 

I wanted her.

 

In a burning, frightening kind of way. 

 

Terrified and thrilled by the thought, I found myself tugged to the sliding glass door by the force of my own need. As the clear partition slid away, her shadowed eyes shifted to me, raking over the big, fluffy bathrobe and my self-consciously naked feet. Like a clock stuck between tick and tock, she stared at me, unmoving, unblinking, tension radiating like heat. Again my body moved with no instructions from my panicking cerebellum. Then we were close enough for our body heat to steam the air around us. Those deep blue eyes were still midnight mysterious in the pre-dawn, and burned like fire along my skin. My fingers were tracing the rough line of her central torso scar through the thin t-shirt as I watched the emotions flicker in her gaze. Her breathing caught in a broken flutter that spoke eloquently of this growing bond between us. 

 

Then I swayed forward and she ducked her head to catch the nervous movement. There was the briefest hesitation before our lips met and my hand pressed reassuringly into her belly. She tasted of the morning's cool dew and the enigmatic fire that burned behind her eyes. As the kiss deepened, I twined my hands into the glorious squiggles of inky hair that had teased me from day one and gripped her tight to me. A low noise like a hunting panther rumbled up from her chest and was breathed into my eager mouth. The screaming objections of my banal, doctor/military brain were leached away like the dark night by the dawn. 

 

And then it was over, her taste and scent heady within my body and soul. For an endless moment we stared into one another's eyes until the morning sun abruptly lanced across us. Her arms were reassuring around me, her curvy body supple and comforting. How desperately I wanted to give into the edgy promise in her eyes. Slowly, I traced her soft mouth, shuddering when she pressed the gentlest of kisses to my sensitive fingertip. Then… I turned and walked away.

 

I suspected later that I was in some kind of emotional shock, numb like a trauma victim. By the time I was disturbed out of my stillness, dawn was full and bright outside the same window I had first looked through. Startled, I glanced around the kitchen as though expecting to see the X-files aliens that had abducted me for those insane minutes. Had it even happened? Or had I only imagined her taste and touch? A delighted tremor echoed through my sensitized body and left my face flushed. If I had, my imagination was far more talented than I had ever given it credit for.

 

When someone suddenly stepped into the kitchen, I jumped guiltily and nearly spilled coffee down my chest. It was a sleepy Sam, rubbing at her eyes like an adorable five-year-old. 

 

"Mornin'," she mumbled and a smile pushed its way past my confusion. She eyed me oddly as she went for the coffee pot. "You okay Janet?"

 

I shrugged and tried to make light of it by turning away and blindly going for the refrigerator. My internal autopilot made eggs and sausages and hash browns while the rest of me reviewed the morning again and again. How good she had felt, warm and loving and nervous as hell. Old memories and fears cascaded through me. What on earth had possessed me to kiss her in the first place? And what in the hell had made me stop? 

 

++ Art ++

 

Endless moments passed while I stared idiotically at the sliding glass door and let the early morning sun bake the right side of my head. What had just happened? Excited tingles still raced through my nerves like fairy sprites. When I rubbed my eyes as though to wake myself, the morning didn't change. Cooper was still lying nearby, watching me with that indulgent expression he gets when I'm being insufferably human. I raked my fingers through my hair, taken aback by how tangled it was. The heated memories of Janet's strong fingers gripping me so tight caused my muscles to tremble and my skin to grow hot and tight. By my ancestors, that sexy little woman had come out here and kissed me until I had utterly lost track of everything around me. 

 

Then reality rushed over me like an ice-cold wave.

 

That sexy Air Force doctor had kissed me… really kissed me. I wanted her so bad I could taste it, but fear rooted me to the spot. I had never seriously entertained the possibility that Janet might be interested and the reality of it was a shock. This was so dangerous… But I knew that I would take that risk for the promise in her velvet eyes.


	5. Anticipation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art and Janet's relationship deepen, beginning to become so much more… and the definition of family is explored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: You all knew that the rating would change eventually! Here's a PG-13 rating! Heck, I'm sure that some might even think it's a R. Be warned that there are girls in love here, folks. If you don't like it, how on Earth did you get this far?
> 
> Pairings: Janet and Art.

++Art++

 

(3-19-99)

 

The next couple of days went by as though nothing had happened. If not for the periodic burn of those dark eyes, I would have begun to believe that I had, indeed, imagined the whole thing. It was a titillating game but it wore at my nerves. When the phone rang in the meeting room, I jumped, and Sam flashed me a weird look.

 

"Carter. Hey Cassie, how're you doing? Art? Sure, hang on. Art, Cassie wants to talk to you."

 

Almost reluctantly, I picked up my extension. "Hi Cassie."

 

"Hi! I wanted to ask if you and Cooper want to come over to dinner tonight. Sam too, if she's not busy."

 

Glancing over at Sam, slaving away over some incomprehensible technical bug, I knew would be going alone if I went at all. I liked Cassie and I needed to clear the air with Janet. "Sam's up to her eyebrows in scientist stuff, but me and Cooper would love to come over."

 

"Great! What's a good time? And mom says you have a guitar, could you show me?"

 

That made me pause again. My skills with the guitar were intensely personal, but I sensed that Cassandra was reaching out to me through her own apprehension and distrust of strangers. "Sure, that'll be fun. I'm done at 1600 hours. How about five?"

 

"Okay, I'll be ready. Bye."

 

"Bye."

 

Jack's voice reached my ears, his voice amused. "So the kid's got you wrapped around her little finger too?"

 

A smile broke through my stress and I turned it on him. "Yes sir."

 

Firing a dirty glance at Sam's battered Jeep, I pocketed her borrowed keys and strode up the walk to Janet's door. The stupid thing drove like a tank with no shocks. Good thing Sam was kinda small chested or she'd always be as sore as I was at the moment. Cooper padded along beside the guitar case in my hand, while the amplifier dangled from the other. On cue, Cassie opened the door and pranced out to greet me with a cheery, "hi! You made it!"

 

"There was a doubt?"

 

"Not really. Hey, what's that?"

 

"It's an amplifier. This is an electric guitar."

 

"Wow! You're a real rockstar!"

 

"Well, I wouldn't go that far…"

 

She continued to gush as we went into the house and I ditched my burdens and heavy coat. Cooper carefully approached Starjumper to say hello and I kept a close eye out until I was certain they were okay together. Then she stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel, and my universe screeched to a halt. It had been hard to see her in her uniform, but it had acted as a buffer on my rampant emotions. The memories of the pale purple bathrobe had seemed so incongruous with Janet that I had been able to distance myself from them. But this…

 

The brief little t-shirt clung in all its leopard-print glory to her generous curves and left a teasing strip of midriff bare. The snug jeans were all but white with age and accented her curves lovingly. Twin tuffs of pigtails poking out above her temples left me debating whether to drool or laugh. But it was the glittery 'girl power' stretched across her breasts that finally coaxed a wide grin out of me. This was the woman who intrigued me so, this warm and funny kitten that flirted as much as she hissed in defense of what was hers. But the kitten was staring at me as though I had a gun pointed at her and the shock and lust and terror in her gaze brought me over to stand before her.

 

"Sorry to startle you, Cass invited me over for dinner," I explained quietly and took note of how husky my voice had grown. Another long beat passed while she stared up at me like a deer in headlights. Then she shook it off and flushed a dusky rose.

 

"That must have been what she shouted at me in the laundry room earlier. Make yourself comfy while I go change into something more appropriate."

 

My hand on her arm stopped her and we both stared at the limb as though wondering what the hell it was doing. "Don't go to any trouble on my account," I begged softly and her eyes dilated. Then the intense moment was shattered as we simultaneously remembered that Cassandra was standing right behind me. 

 

++ Cassie ++

 

Oh, this was just too good. I knew I was right, and the proof of that was staring at me right now. But they looked so scared that I played stupid just to get them to relax. While Art followed my directions to the plates and glasses, I collected silverware and we left Mom to finish the spaghetti. It had made me laugh earlier to see her in my shirt, but the look on Art's face had been priceless. As I watched them dance uncomfortably around one another, I found myself guiltily wishing that it had been Sam that was playing this game with Mom. Then I felt bad, because I liked Art and she had made a real effort to be good to me. Most of dinner focused around me, as the women were so nervous of one another. Afterward, I dragged Art into the living room to show me the guitar. She was really talented and the instrument sang beneath her touch. As she had with Cooper, Art patiently answered all of my questions, even though I sensed that she was barely paying attention. Janet only watched in silence while we interacted, and I desperately hoped that she understood what I was trying to get across. 

 

I liked Art and liked the idea that she was becoming part of my new family. When I had lost everything on my homeworld of Hanka, I feared that I would never learn to love again. SG1 and Janet showed me otherwise. Now Art and Cooper were included in that feeling and I felt better for it. Once the intensity became too thick for my teenage brain, I kissed and hugged them both fiercely and scampered away while they recovered. Murmured 'goodnights' followed me out of the room like the shadowy forms of the two dogs.

 

++ Janet ++

 

Ever since I had stepped from the kitchen to find those smoky blue eyes on me, I had felt off balance. Vulnerable and needy, we parried and side stepped about like an emotional fencing match. Then Cassandra dragged us into the living room and begged the guitar out of its case. Dexterous fingers plugged in the amplifier and then run a cord from that small box into the port on the body of the forest green device. When those same fingers stroked across the glittering strings to make the instrument sing, I was lost. There was something magnetically evocative about watching Art pour over the instrument as though it was an extension of her very soul. Tenderly, but firmly, her touch danced across those sensitive wires and glorious sound filled my house. How desperately my skin craved that touch, my breath harsh in my ears. Cassandra's hug startled me from my carnal thoughts and her loving grin made me smile back in return. I dimly suspected that my daughter had very neatly set me up.

 

With real warmth, Cassandra hugged Art and kissed her cheek. It earned a grin of pleased surprise and a loving hug in return. And then… we were alone. My eyes were glued to the now-silent guitar, where her hands draped loosely over the top edge, fingers curled to the enameled wood. Slowly, her right index finger skimmed across the shiny surface, back and forth, hypnotizing me.

 

"So," Art husked out of the blue. "Can… can I ask you a question?"

 

She sounded as nervous as I felt and when I spoke, my voice was squeaky with stress. "I think you just did."

 

That earned a mutual wince, but she gamely marshaled her inner forces and raised her head to meet my eyes. How they burned, paler now than I had ever seen them, standing out dramatically from her darkly flushed skin and the jaw-length waves of curly hair. "In… in the backyard…"

 

Panic set in and my sane, logical mind short-circuited under the pressure. "Oh, that, well, it was such a beautiful morning, don't really know what I was thinking, it seemed like a good idea at the time, and now maybe, well, I'm not sure I understand, and, well…"

 

I was babbling, but I couldn't make out a word I was saying. Then she hesitantly reached out to set those sensitive fingertips against my lips and silence fell again.

 

"It's okay," she whispered in a voice so bittersweet it made my heart ache. "I understand."

 

It sounded like a dismissal, and I froze in shock. The blue eyes turned in on themselves for a moment to bank the fire and find out what had happened in the real world while we had been so caught up in one another. 

 

"Have you seen Cooper?"

 

Heartbroken and sick with myself for screwing this up so badly, I numbly shook my head. She wouldn't meet my eyes and set aside the guitar before rising on unsteady feet. There was no sign of him, and we met again outside Cassandra's closed door.

 

"Rotten dog," she murmured fondly. "Went and ran off with another woman."

 

Those expressive eyes stared so intently the door, that I almost missed the subtle cues. If I hadn't been so desperate to see them, Art may have remained alone. But there were hints in the tension in her voice, the nervous raking of fingers through her curls, the way her eyes would try to follow me.

 

"Stay with me," my voice said completely of its own volition and her head snapped around in shock. Now that I had made the decision to need her so badly, I felt brave and invulnerable. She did not move as I stepped into her personal space again and ran gentle fingers over the reawakening muscles in her arms. "I need you so much. Please." 

 

Trailing my fingers up, I curled them around her neck to tug her down to be kissed. It was just as good as I remembered, her taste and touch. Groaning, she smoothed those coveted hands down my back and began exploring with desperate intensity. Somehow, I managed to coax her down the hallway and into my bedroom. All without losing that glorious contact with her sweet mouth. Only at the bedside did I pull away to run restless hands over her body.

 

"Janet," Art moaned softly and leaned her head down to rest atop my tousled hair. "Are… are you sure about this? Because my feelings are pretty strong…"

 

That made me pause and press gentle kisses along her chin. "Oh yes, yes. I know exactly how you feel."

 

"Okay."

 

Crouching, Art wrapped her arms around my waist and stood so that I was forced to throw my limbs around her. It was fun, suddenly being the taller one, leaning down to kiss her ravenously. This time she didn't hold back and returned the caresses like she really meant it. Soon we were sprawled on the bed and exploring to our heart's content.

 

The night became a blur of pleasure, of touching and being touched. It was magic from the start, the way she played me like that guitar. In return, I explored her body with a passion I was never allowed in the examination room, tracing her scars and curves that had fascinated me from the start. Her responses were completely atypical of what I would have expected for a healthy young woman, yet another legacy of that grenade. In turn, she learned things about my own body that no other had ever bothered with. Like that fact that the small zone around my navel could make me utterly insane… and that her well-timed humor would make me as hot as her deep soul kisses. We were glorious and exhausting and the best damn therapy I had allowed myself in far too long. There were no tomorrows and no responsibilities while we made love to the dim light of the bedside lamp until at last sleep came…

 

# The Morning After

 

(3-20-99)

 

Sensation returned on prickly cat feet that pranced across my skin. Gloriously sore and euphoric, I felt the steady rise and fall of breathing beneath my cheek. It was a wonderful feeling, the warm body cradling me, the gentle hand in my hair.

 

How easily I could fall in love with her.

 

It was a sobering realization and I warily examined it from all angles. There was no panic from the epiphany and that surprised me. For so many years I had been hiding my own sexuality by trying to deny any feelings associated with it. The denial of that need was second nature. But I liked Art from the start, she was warm and funny and intense. Last night I had seen all of that, coupled with a fierce devotion and shy vulnerability that was poetic.

 

Slowly, I raised my head to look at the woman who very nearly held my heart in her strong hands. There was none of the soldier here, none of the lines of humor and concentration on her face. Soft and trusting, she lay with me as though there was not a care in the world. The panicked chatter of my logical brain was ignored as I bent to kiss her softly. And, like a fairy tale princess, she stirred to life.

 

++ Art ++

 

It was a soft, loving kiss that coaxed me from slumber. Oh, I was aware of her energetic little body curled against me and the emotions I could taste in her kiss. Something had changed in the dark hours while we slept, something magical. Like water, like air, I fed from her tenderness and relished the change in my own soul.

 

There had been something special in this small woman from the very first. Perhaps it was the feral burn of the frisky female that lay beneath the cool exterior of the doctor. Or the friendly calm she brought to the space around her. Or the strength of character that bonded others to her. All together, these things and more painted an elaborate mosaic that stretched beyond my comprehension. What would it be like, exploring this complicated soul?

 

"I love you," I breathed across her mouth and opened my eyes to her twinkling gaze. "I think I may have loved you from the first."

 

That sunny smile could coax a soul back from the dead and I grinned back like a lovesick fool. 

 

"I love you too," Janet whispered and sounded as giddily awed as I felt. "Thank you for letting me persuade you to stay last night."

 

"Mmm, thank you," I murmured and tugged her down to be kissed again. It was a tender heat between us, a bond of bodies and souls that made us more than what we had been before. In time, we lay quietly again and cuddled.

 

"I'm not normally like this," Janet mused softly and I could feel her smile against my skin. "Rash and impulsive."

 

"Thank whatever deities are keeping an eye on us that you did. I honestly don't think I could have made the first move."

 

"Oh, I think you would have found a way."

 

"Are you flirting with me, Captain Fraiser?" I teased in a lilting voice and she raised her head again to grin at me.

 

"Y'think?" She murmured and ducked to kiss me until I thought I would pass out. Oh, I'd always hoped I'd find somebody that it was like this with. But I honestly never expected it. Then mundane reality asserted itself with the hollow rumble of my stomach. For a long moment we stared into one another's eyes until Janet's belly grumbled as well and we burst into hysterics. After a moment, I rolled her under my greater mass to kiss her again and taste her chuckles.

 

"I'm going to make you breakfast, and drag you back to this bed to eat as much of it off your delicious skin as possible. Then," another smiling kiss made me pause for a long moment. "I'm dragging you off to the shower to see what you look like warm and wet." And before Janet could grab me, I had rolled away and jumped to my feet.

 

++ Janet ++

 

Damn the trickster, teasing me like that in her deep, sexy voice and then wiggling away. Most thoughts of seducing her back into the tousled bed were chased off by my very real hunger. "Okay, you win," I purred and propped myself up into a come-hither pose. Art finished her luxurious stretch and flashed me a leering grin. I adored watching her do that seemingly simple physical maneuver that still made her so ecstatic.

 

"Dessert after lunch?" She queried in a sassy tone and the gleam in her blue eyes deepened when I raised a knee to tease further. "Definitely dessert," she breathed hoarsely and I decided that I really should get up before we got started again and starved to death only meters from the kitchen.

 

Breakfast/lunch was a decidedly silly affair as Art did her damnest to keep me laughing the entire time. While she played pirate with the eggs, parrying back and forth with the spatula, toast and coffee kept us satisfied while more substantial fare was put together. Too much food was made, because we were far too engrossed with one another to be paying attention and it kept getting burnt. Fortunately, the dogs were happy to do tricks for the blackened bits. By the time Art finally managed to fix an edible plate of eggs and cheese and vegetables, I was ready to throw her up against the counter and ravish her. When she turned and saw my expression, her triumphant grin faded into raw hunger.

 

"Bed," she croaked hoarsely and I tried to instruct my reluctant body to do so. Easier said than done, as my jangling hormones pulled me towards her heat. "Bed!" Art finally barked in that no-nonsense 'Handler' voice and Cooper perked up automatically. An irreverent giggle escaped me and I pranced lightly for the stairs with my frisky lover right behind me. Panting with eagerness to find out what exactly she had in mind, I threw myself onto the ruined sheets and waited impatiently. "You ready?

 

"Oh yes…"

 

It was a singularly bizarre experience to watch and feel the spongy little clumps of warm egg on my sensitized skin. With a feral grin of concentration, Art trailed a line of the edibles from the hollow of my throat all the way down to my groin. I was nearly ready to crawl out of my decorated skin. 

 

"Aaaarrrt, please!"

 

And then her mouth was on me, her lips and tongue delicately collecting the little omelet bits before sensuously swabbing the area clean. Determined not to move and miss a single sensation, I tensed every muscle and went with the experience. When she did finally nibble up the last morsel, she mercifully ducked down and my universe exploded. By the time sanity returned, Art was draped over me to welcome me home with loving kisses. "Hungry?" She asked lightly and I pulled her down to be kissed yet again. I hoped those eggs were still at least a little warm…

 

++ Sam ++

 

"…and then down the field! I still can't believe I made that goal!"

 

"Yep," I agreed with flagging enthusiasm. "You're a regular Mia Hamm."

 

Cassandra had made an amazing goal at her soccer match that had been the talk of the team on the field, and the locker room, and the pizza parlor, and the car trips in between… When she had called me this morning for a ride to the game, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As much as I adored the girl, I was really looking forward to getting back to Janet's and relaxing from the long morning. At the house, Cassandra tore up the walk and paused only long enough to unlock and open the front door. Sighing, I collected her cleats and followed the sound of her excited voice echoing from inside. As I stepped in, I heard her tone go questioning. "Hello? Anybody home?" Then laughingly shocked. "Wow! What a mess! Cooper, did you do this?" He whined in response and looked back at me through the kitchen door as though proclaiming his innocence.

 

Indeed, the kitchen looked as though a tornado had touched down and the smell of burnt eggs still lingered faintly in the air. "Nope, not the dogs," I commented and picked up a paring knife from among the remains of various vegetables. "Not unless they've learned to use a knife, and that's just plain scary." 

 

While the two dogs obviously hadn't created the mess, they had certainly contributed to the destruction. Food had been pulled to the floor and mostly consumed, as well as eaten straight off the counter. Must have been one hell of a night, I mused to myself and shot a sideways glance at Cassandra. The teen had a mischievous, self-satisfied look on her face and I suspected that she had made no attempt to wake Janet that morning as she had proclaimed earlier. The fact that my car, which I loaned to Art yesterday, was at Janet's this morning had not escaped me either. So I had brought the bike over and reclaimed my Jeep for the morning's escapades.

 

"So" I began with false casualness. "Anything interesting happen last night?"

 

Instantly, she was all innocence, but started giggling when I gave her my best long-suffering look. "I really don't know. I went to bed after Art showed us the guitar. Guess they slept in."

 

Cassandra's tone was light, almost mocking, and she didn't quite meet my gaze. When I scowled lightly, she flashed me an intense look and went about cleaning up the kitchen. Did she know about them? Was she being so enigmatic because she thought I didn't? Did she know about the rule that could ruin Janet and Art if they were found out? There was a lingering awkwardness between us as the mess was cleaned up. I hated it. Weren't there enough secrets in this house?

 

++ Cassie ++

 

Once you live in a place for long enough, you start to ignore certain things. Like the annoying squeak of the front door and that ripple of asphalt in the driveway that was caused by a tree root. So I hadn't identified the faint sounds of water running in another part of the house until it shut off. Then I realized that Mom's shower had been running since Sam and I had walked in. How I hoped they were happy together and that they could make this work. Janet seemed so fascinated with Art and the new woman was very cool. And her dog was the best. 

 

"So," Sam suddenly said with forced nonchalance. "Do you like Art?"

 

"Yep," I answered readily and gave the blonde woman a curious look. Did she know? "I'm really glad she came over last night."

 

Now the look on Sam's face convinced me that she did indeed know what was going on. Neither of us knew quite what to say. Then a door slammed open upstairs and laughter echoed down the staircase. Flashing Sam my best serious look, I trotted into the living room and shouted in the general direction of the second story.

 

"Hey Mom! You should have seen this amazing goal I made! It was great!"

 

Mom in her robe and a wary-looking Art came soberly to the living room and I hugged them both. Then Art looked over my shoulder and her expression became unreadable. "Mornin' Sam," she said quietly and ruffled Cooper's fur when he went over to sit at her feet.

 

"Oh Cass," Mom lamented from where she stood self-consciously behind Art. "I'm so sorry I missed your game."

 

"It's okay," I reassured and hugged her tight. "I just called Sam." The near-leer seemed to take them both aback. "Besides, I figured you'd want to sleep in."

 

Art fired me one of those patented long-suffering looks that Sam is so good at and draped an arm around my shoulders. "Why do I get the impression that you're going to be quite the handful, young lady?"

 

"Runs in the family," I responded dryly and Mom huffed with surprised laughter. That comment made Art grin and look fondly at the two of us before firing Sam a wry look. 

 

"I'm doomed, aren't I?"

 

We all cackled in surround-sound at that one.

 

++ Sam ++

 

It was perversely amusing to watch Art and Janet try and act normal around one another. The chemistry between them was like a force of nature. I was surprised that I couldn't actually see the sparks. There was a peculiar sensation lingering in the corners of my soul, one that I was determined to ignore. It almost felt like… jealousy? How I wished someone could make me feel that way… Shoving the sensation down ruthlessly, I gave Janet a speculative look that froze her in her tracks. That fearful expression, just like the one Art had given me only a few days ago, made my heart clutch in pain. A crooked finger brought Janet to stand beside me with terror and curiosity lingering in her eyes.

 

"Does she make you happy?" I asked softly and Janet actually flinched. Since Art and Cassandra were busy at the sink, they missed all of it. Without thinking, I grabbed Janet's hand and stared up into her eyes with all the intensity I could muster. "I won't hurt you Janet, ever."

 

"You know," she whispered in a tone that was as much fact as question. I nodded and rubbed my thumb comfortingly over her knuckles. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes and I was shocked at the uncharacteristic weakness as her face crumbled. In a moment, she was in my lap, clinging to me with the strength of a drowning woman. "Oh Sam," she sobbed and I saw the other two turn around to stare in concern. "I'm so happy, and so scared…"

 

I had never before been Janet's caretaker, had never seen her vulnerable like this before. The gesture of trust brought all of my best qualities forward as I tenderly held her and stroked her back. "No one's going to hurt you, Janet. They'll have to go through me first. Well, me and Art anyway." My dark pal grinned shakily and came over to kneel beside my chair and lean her head against Janet's back. One hand came to rest on my knee to squeeze lightly, partially to reassure and partially to gain reassurance. A glance brought Cassandra to my side so that I could wrap my free arm around her. "We'll be okay," I did my damnest to sound confident and Janet hugged me hard. 

 

"Thank you, Sam. You're a gift. How did you know?"

 

"I told her," Art said quietly and Janet twisted her body to look at her.

 

"And it won't leave the four of us," I added on fiercely and Janet looked first at me, then the solemnly nodding Cassandra.

 

"We can do this?"

 

"No problem," Cassandra smiled. "Aliens and interstellar travel are way more complicated than you two."

 

"Of course, aliens and interstellar travel don't glow with happiness like the two of you," I had to add dryly. That earned me another suffocating hug and a chorus of chuckles.

 

The rest of the afternoon passed far more quietly as the household returned to normal. Art dragged Cass and I outside to roughhouse with the dogs until we were all wiped out. We didn't talk much, the night still raw and sensitive in her dark eyes. Janet called us in for a late lunch and I paused to ask a question, only to be frozen by the sight of them sharing a loving kiss at the back door. They looked so good together, Janet's hand tucked up under the inky mane, Art's hands resting lightly on her hips. Before they could notice me and get self-conscious, I ducked into the kitchen and tried to act as though I had seen nothing. It was doubtful that I fooled Cassandra for a moment, but she thankfully let me be.

 

++ Art ++

 

(3-21-99)

 

Work had been awkward, but we managed. By pretty much avoiding one another, Janet and I were able to go about our business. But Sam smirking evilly at me certainly didn't help. Although it did make me laugh hard enough to break the internal tension, and that did help. So now it was Sunday and a date had subtly been arranged. I was so nervous that I was nearly sick to my stomach. Daniel had been looking oddly at me all day, but had wisely not asked me any questions. Until I suddenly glanced at my watch and went into panic-mode. " _Gahmoh toh_! It's almost six!"

 

"What? You got a hot date or something?" Daniel chuckled and Janet's slender, curvy body filled my mind's eye. When he received no response to his teasing, Daniel looked up quizzically.

 

"Kinda. I'm off to hang with Cassie and I hate to be late," I improvised lamely and he eyeballed me speculatively. Grinning weakly, I crept away from cataloging artifacts before he could ask me to explain.

 

"Thanks for the ride," I said to Sam as we climbed off the Harley.

 

"No problem. Your date gives me an excuse to hang out with Cassie. You okay to drive this thing?"

 

I snatched the keys out of midair as we trotted up to the front door. "I'll manage."

 

It was Cass that yanked the door open at my knock. She shot me a piercing, disbelieving look and gestured expansively at us. "This is what you show up wearing for a date? Sheesh. And with a chaperone? Mom! Throw this one back!"

 

Cackling at her jokes, Cassie flounced back into the house and left Sam eyeing me wryly. "Chaperone?"

 

"Hey!" I defended myself. "I didn't have time to change…"

 

Anything else I was going to say fled me in the moment I spotted Janet coming down the steps. She was magnificent in a dark skirt and a burgundy sweater. Jewelry flashed at ears and throat, but not as brightly as her loving smile. Pausing on the bottom step, she looped her arms around my neck and kissed me lingeringly. For a long minute, the rest of the universe faded away as I was overcome with pleasure at having her in my arms again. "Hi," she finally breathed across my lips and my smile deepened. She was taller right now, in heels and perched on the bottom step, and I liked being able to curl my arms around her fully.

 

"Hi. Sorry about my clothes."

 

Flashing the grinning Cass a dirty look, Janet waved off my apology. "So take me somewhere that it won't matter what you're wearing."

 

"I think we can manage that. You girls have fun now," I teased the grinning Sam and Cassie before hustling Janet out the door.

 

We randomly stumbled across a traveling carnival and Janet squealed with delight from where she clung to me on the back of the bike. I was more than happy to pull over and climb off the rumbling machine. I didn't like driving, too many chilling memories, and the big motorcycle was a lot of work. In the glitter and noise of the carnival, Janet showed a child-like humor and delight that was completely at odds to her professional façade. She flirted and cajoled the kids in the booths, made a grouchy old man with his grandkids laugh and laugh while we all waited in line, and made me forget for the evening all of our responsibilities. Warm and happy with the cheap food and beer we walked through the park with our arms looped together. Abruptly, she yanked me into a dim corner to drape herself all over me. It succeeded nicely in refocusing my attention. "Having a good time?" She asked coyly, sifting her hands through my hair. Emboldened by our relative privacy, I skimmed loving hands over her curves and pulled her tightly to me.

 

"Mmmm, yeah," I hummed and ducked down to catch her lips. We kissed to the faint music of the thrill rides, the warm embrace quickly becoming heated. Only her leg curling around my hip and her low moan broke through the delirious haze of her taste and touch. "Take me home sexy."

 

"Me? She chuckled coyly. "You've got the keys."

 

And we laughed together before heading back to Sam's bike.

 

++ Janet ++

 

(3-23-99)

 

I hated that she had to sleep on base. Here I was lying in my suddenly too big of a bed and wishing she were beside me. Art was unlike anyone I'd known before. Warm and sexy and fun, I missed her playfulness as much as her loving. It was as if she'd always known the person I was deep inside, that fearful and feral part of me that so rarely escaped. I had repressed that part of me years ago in fear of being caught in a compromising position with another woman. Now I was ready to sneak onto base and crawl onto her cot to hold her close. Hugging a pillow to me, I sighed sadly and stared at the picture beside my bed. It was Cass and Sam and I, grinning happily at the camera. I wanted one with Art added in. I wanted her to wake up beside me every morning and wanted to feel her arms around me every night.

 

In the hall outside my door, I heard Starjumper's paws shuffling past and I smiled despite my melancholy. Then it hit me. 

 

Would Art want to live here? 

 

Cooper would have a yard and the base would think she was living in the spare room beside Cassie. The sudden excitement was damped down by the day-to-day realities of living with a person. Would Cassie tolerate it? She seemed to like Art, but could she handle having the woman around on a regular basis? But that would mean having Sam around more frequently too. That made me grin again and hide my face in the pillow. I burned with excitement and hope. Would she? How would I ask? Too many implications and feelings ran rampantly around my head, threatening to make me explode.

 

Knowing I wouldn't get anymore sleep, I quickly showered and dressed. Leaving a note for Cassie on the fridge, I raced the sun to work. All the way through the familiar routine of security checks, I pondered my dilemma. How to ask, how to ask, how to ask…

 

In the end, SG1 made it easy for me. At lunchtime, Daniel and Art were sitting in the commissary, pouring over something on paper and smiled when I entered.

 

"'Morning Janet," Art said happily, the undertones in her voice making me shiver. It took real concentration to sit beside her and accept the cup of coffee Daniel offered me, when all I could feel was the subtle press of her knee up against the outside of my thigh. It took Daniel addressing me directly to finally break through my scattered attention. 

 

"You look tired, Janet. You okay?"

 

My upper brain scrambled to answer and came up with something even better than the truth. "Starjumper has been irritatingly restless lately." Knowing Cooper was sprawled on the floor on Art's other side, I reached across her to offer my fingers for inspection. After a quick sniff, Cooper licked them and let me scratch his muzzle. The interaction allowed me to stare deep into Art's eyes until she smiled. "I think he misses Cooper. That big backyard seems kind of empty without him there."

 

That luminescent smile made my heart pound and my muscles shiver. What she could do to me…

 

"Why Doc, are you asking me to move in with you?"

 

The teasing tone drove me further towards hopeless distraction and I fought to remain in control of myself. "No," I replied just as coyly and leaned away to return to my coffee. "Just your dog."

 

Her and Daniel's laughter was answer enough.

 

# Teenage Reality Check

 

(3-25-99)

 

I was euphoric over Art's carefully controlled enthusiasm about cohabiting. That is until I remembered something glaringly obvious and flinched as though struck. Catching the movement, Betty's blue gaze flickered over to skewer me. "What's wrong?"

 

The soft query made me smile weakly. The serious-faced blonde nurse was invaluable to me and that made me be as honest as I possibly could. "I offered Sergeant Goldston my spare bedroom so that she didn't have to sleep on base all the time and Cooper would have a yard. It just occurred to me that I didn't discuss this with Cassie. Some mom I am, huh?"

 

An uncharacteristically warm smile lightened Betty's features. "Relax. From listening to SG1, Cassandra likes Goldston just fine. Besides, if she moves in, that means that Major Carter will be around more often."

 

I remembered having similar thoughts the night before and said as much. "Thanks Betty. Can you cover for me if the General lets me play hooky?"

 

"Of course."

 

When a potential problem with Cass was mentioned, Hammond could hardly shuffle me off base fast enough.

 

++ Cassie ++

 

As I stepped off the bus, I noticed that Starjumper was on his chain in the front yard and Mom's car was in the driveway. Why was she home early? I was curious and a more than a little worried.

 

"Hi honey," she called out when I entered the house. There was a strange cast to her expression when I stepped into the living room to drop my backpack on the couch.

 

"What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing, I hope. But I need to discuss something important with you." Now I was truly fearful and my expression must have said as much. I was wrapped in strong hug that I willingly returned. "Oh sweetie, nothing bad… at least I hope not."

 

"Oh. Okay," I replied uncertainly and her embrace tightened.

 

"It's just… I asked Art if she'd live here before I realized that I'd unfairly neglected to ask your opinion on the matter." 

 

Live here? That was a big step. It must be making Mom really nervous because she only used her 'Doctor Fraiser' vocabulary with me if she was worried or mad. "I know it would be strange having someone new in the house, but you'd get to see more of Sam and Cooper."

 

The wheedling tone made me smile and relax. "I think it'll be okay. But will you be safe?" The other Air Force kids had made it quite clear to me with their bad jokes and second-hand stories exactly how the military felt about same-sex couples. The thought of this wonderful woman who had opened her heart and home to me suffering that kind of humiliation and disgrace terrified me. 

 

"If we're discrete, I don't see why not. That big backyard is a great excuse. Are you certain you're okay with this?"

 

I leaned away only far enough to fire her an exasperated look and she smiled. I adored her and Art made her happy. That was enough for me. I hugged her close again and spoke softly. "Yes. I like Art just fine and she makes you happy."

 

Mom's shaky half-sob of relief in my ear was answer enough.

 

# The Next Stage of Family

 

Neither of them made it home the next day. Mom's voice on the answering machine assured me that she was merely caught up on some project. So I once again stayed over at my best friend Tamy's house and went straight to school from there. When we bused home, I was relieved to see the silver Saturn in the driveway. "Your Mom's home," Tamy noted idly, as used to Mom's weird schedule as I was.

 

"Yep. I'll let you know if I can come over later. We've got a boarder now, so I don't know what kind of mood Mom'll be in."

 

"A boarder?"

 

"Yeah. She's cool." As we walked away from the bus, I told her about Art and Cooper. She was as intrigued as I had been the first time I had met the pair. With promises of having her over soon, we went our separate ways.

 

"Hi, I'm home," I called out as I entered the house to be greeted by the two dogs.

 

"Hi Cass," Art called back and a moment later she appeared from around the corner. "How was school?"

 

There was something very reassuring about the bland normalcy of the question and I grinned. "Okay. Are you any good at English?"

 

"Decent, sure. Need a hand with something?"

 

"Yeah, that'd be great. Where's Mom?"

 

"Napping. She and Sam got caught up last night."

 

While Art's nervousness was vaguely apparent through her careful calm, she did a great job with me. Within half an hour we had given the dogs some exercise, had a light snack and were then deep in my English homework. Vocabulary and literature were far more interesting with Art making a dramatic production of them.

 

++ Janet ++

 

Delighted laughter roused me from sleep and I lay there for long moments. Cooper's bark wafted through the open bedroom door and laughter peeled out again. My heart swelled at the sounds of my lover and daughter getting along. There was a sound, a shadow cast across my eyelids and I smiled in delight. Rather than Art's loving kiss, a wet tongue slobbered across my face. 

 

"Cooper!" Playfully, he laid his big head on my shoulder and looked at me with unabashed adoration. "Flirt," I murmured and pet him for long moments. Having a home would be good for him, a stability that the military rarely provided. Working for the SGC had a wonderful perk in that Cassie would not be moved for a good, long time, if ever. Cooper licked me again and I giggled. "Okay, okay. I'm getting up."

 

When I wandered into the kitchen, Art and Cassie were sitting side by side, pouring over the familiar schoolbooks. Swallowing a lump of overwhelming love spiced with a dash of self-consciousness, I dropped a kiss first on Cassie's head, then Art's. My lover's hand wrapped around my leg for a long moment, and her fingers pressed into the tender inside of my thigh. That loving touch made my heart and hormones sing. Before we misbehaved in front of the teenager, I moved away to start dinner.

 

After we ate, the three of us sprawled out in front of the TV to kill some time. It was a pleasant surprise when Art stretched out along the couch to drop her head in my lap. Cassie commandeered the overstuffed beanbag and let the dogs crowd her. The TV was forgotten as I sifted my fingers through the coveted inky curls, watched the flickering firelight on my beloved's features. Both of her hands were curled around my thigh, tucked up under her chin and the slow brush of her fingers gave me chills.

 

I could get used to this…


	6. A Day in the Life of Cooper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The K9 unit gets to see what being part of the SGC is really all about! Art bonds more closely with the people around her and will discover that 'Gating can sometimes be a nightmare…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: You all knew that the rating would change eventually! Here's the stuff you've all been waiting for, the big ole' R rating! Realistically, it's probably a bit more risqué than that by the time the girls wrap it up, but what the hell. Warnings! Girl couple ahead, don't be shocked when you get there…
> 
> Pairings: Janet and Art.

++Cooper++

 

(4-3-99)

 

Sound.

 

Hand on door.

 

Alert, I raise my head to sense if there is danger. It is my duty to always guard. The Beta's voice is light, amused. No alarm. The Alpha's hand is on my ears in reassurance and praise. Their scent warm, relaxed, the sweet-smelling mouth touching me in that favorite spot just above my eyes. Always my Alpha is sweet and strong, and the Beta smells of rainy days and the acrid Human toys. She speaks to me almost as much as the Alpha, her light pelt as contrasting to the Alpha as her scent.

 

From the open door come the invisible signals of my rabbit-warren world. Busy, calm, no alarm, but my attention never wavers. Even in sleep I must guard. First is the Alpha, she will forever be first, then the safety of pack and domain. There is a touch on my collar, a click, and the physical lifeline to the Alpha is secure. We go, their heavy Human feet behind me. Everywhere there are signs only I can sense and I pay the strictest attention. Very little of it is important to the Alpha, she has always been very careful to show me what it is that she requires knowledge of, but I take note of all of it.

 

There is food and water along with the reassuring company of the other pack males. Sometimes I am confused when the Alpha must obey others, but only she commands me, except for the simplest things where I obey my packmates. I am simply to be friendly and respectful of Humans unless instructed otherwise by the Alpha. Strangers touch me; there is no threat unless she tells me so, I watch her eyes, her hands, pay endless heed to her ever-shifting scent and tone. None are as expressive as she, none as important.

 

After we eat, she takes me to the moving box that leads to the sunshine and shows her teeth in that friendly Human way at my puppy wiggling. When she was hurt, her body and smell broken and changed, I was without hope. Useless and broken, unable to function without her, I barely functioned without her by my side. Now I am wildly ecstatic to play with her again, the rough-gentle games I love so. The ball on its sturdy rope that bounces and thumps that I must find by my own scent where it hides in the long grass. She is always so proud of my efforts, even when I think that I have failed. She is proud of my grace and strength and obedience, always praising me, making me adore her ever more. For her I will do anything. Tired, but alert, we return to the warren where we spend the day with our Human pack. My entertainment is the sounds and smells that fill the air around me.

 

In time, we change locations again and I am eager to be near the Alpha's Mate. She is small and smells of warm earth and the bright sun. My need to protect her is almost as powerful as the need to protect the Alpha. A kind word, a loving touch on my head and I lick her strong hands, earning a smile. From my own kind, the gesture is a threat or a way to dominate another. From the Humans it is friendly, but not always. The Alphas speak while I sit beside them and guard. Their smell and sound is pleasurable, a faint echo of what they are like alone at the den. For here at the warren they are always busy on their strange Human hunts, there is no time for play and pleasure while hunting.

 

The Alphas and I return to the moving box that takes us to the car. Back at the den, the Elder Pup greets me lovingly. Soon she will be a pup no longer. The other dog respectfully sniffs me and we follow the Humans into the den. Together, the other dog and I exercise the Elder Pup before there is food once more. I wish that the Alphas felt safe enough to breed, to ensure the pack survival through many cubs. I will do all I can to ensure their safety. There is pleasant lounging with my family-pack before I take my place where the Alpha and her Mate sleep.

 

**Into the Unknown**

 

++ Art ++

 

(4-11-99)

 

It was time.

 

Weeks of training and two safe Stargate jumps had prepared us for this. The MOLP had revealed a spacious clearing in a dense, foggy rainforest. My two hours to prepare for the jump were rapidly drawing to a close.

 

I was scared silly.

 

Unfortunately, Cooper did not seem to be faring much better. He sat beside our bags, silent and anxious. When the last piece of gear had been shoved into the pack, the last strap tightened around my body, I knelt down and opened my arms. "C'mere."

 

Whining softly, Cooper slunk over with his tail low and huddled against me. This amazing animal had been there for me more times than I could count and brought richness to my life that could never be duplicated. I had no way of thanking him except to love him unconditionally. For an irrational moment, I despised the duty that forced me to step into such a dangerous unknown with this innocent dog by my side. But I also knew that we would only be strong enough to do this as a team. When I looked into his dark eyes, somehow I knew he understood and in somber quiet I stood to don my pack before gathering up my MP5. After putting on the helmet, I felt Cooper nose against my hand and we shared one last look.

 

"Together," I whispered. And together we went to meet our destiny.

++ Jack ++

 

When they walked in, I was immediately worried about the haunted look in Art's eyes. Soldiers died foolishly because of distractions like the thoughts that ran rampant behind the dark woman's gaze. That is where duty saves those of us in uniform, the ritual and repetition of military responsibility that is a source of such great strength and pain. "Sergeant, come here."

 

Faint surprise drifted across her gaze as she did as ordered. Brusquely, I did a quick visual check of her gear before holding out an imperious hand for the MP5. All of it checked out letter perfect, not that I was surprised. Curiosity had lightened her clouded gaze, but I still worried about her mental state. So I thrust the weapon roughly back into Art's hands and fixed her with my best serious stare. 

 

"You're with Carter. If she wanders off, shoot her." And with that I turned and stomped up the ramp, but not before I caught the glimmer of astonished humor color her blue eyes their normal tone. Carter's snort of indulgent annoyance was merely icing on the cake. Daniel grumbled as I grabbed his collar and hauled him after me. "And you Doctor Jackson, are with me. C'mon Teal'c." I could picture the rest of them trading amused glances as I went to the event horizon and stepped through.

 

The first thing I noticed about this place was the thick, pacific-northwest damp of the cold rainforest around us. Daniel's ungraceful exit jerked against my grip on his collar and Sam nearly tripped over Art where the younger woman had knelt beside Cooper. Teal'c covered all of us from the mossy steps of the Stargate platform. 

 

"Everyone okay?" There was a chorus of affirmatives as the rest of my team pulled themselves together. Then Cooper made a quizzical noise, his head cocked to listen intently to some distant sound.

 

"What is it boy?" Art breathed out quietly, every sense alert. We all paused to listen and the faint sounds of distant battle began to filter through the sullen forest around us. I was proud when each of them went into battle mode without a moment's hesitation.

 

"Goldston, take point. Carter, guard her back. Teal'c, guard the rear. C'mon Daniel."

 

Like green-suited ghosts, we slunk through the mossy trees, following our ears and Cooper's fine nose. What we found was an entire squad of SGC personnel in pitched battle with enemy Jaffa. There was no response to my quiet request for acknowledgement into the radio. So we crawled on our bellies down the slope to take offensive positions near the strange SGC personnel. Cooper had stuck close to me, Carter and Goldston on my right and the others on my left. Assured of their proximity, I took the chance of shouting at the other SGC personnel. "Pull back! Cover your six!"

 

Rather than being relieved, the unknown Captain in command seemed irritated at my shout. He hollered back, "identify yourself!"

 

"Colonel O'Neill! SG1!"

 

What the hell was this guy's problem?

 

"What quadrant?"

 

Now I was truly confused and must have murmured as much to Daniel, who was sprawled beside me. Then the Jaffa forces began to move in and my confusion was instantly replaced by concern.

 

"Get out of there!"

 

The unknown Captain looked at us with perplexed menace before turning on us with a shout. "Take 'em out!"

 

Okay, enough of this… but I was never given the chance to defend my team. It was like an expensive movie effect as snipers popped out of trapdoors in the green surroundings. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Carter grunted from a bright red flare slamming into her chest. Cooper heaved himself to his feet to throw his great bulk half across Goldston. He yelped in pain as more of the red death arrowed into his thick hide. More glowing shots found their mark on Daniel and Teal'c, to fast for me to even roar at the injustice of it all. I couldn't let this happen… couldn't lose the family I adored… couldn't…

 

Blackness closed in around the ache of my failure to them.

 

++ Art ++

 

(4-13-99)

 

It had been a terrifying, humorous and educational day and a half. How the hell the veteran members of SG1 did this on a regular basis was totally beyond me. These ordinary-looking young men in uniform were brainwashed into thinking they were serving their dead God, Apophis. The humor of the stun weapons, Entars, rapidly wore off as we were forced to go looking for our missing weapons. The boys were playing war games and didn't know that they had weapons designed for death among them. A shot from Teal'c's Staff Weapon tore a hole in the fellow known as Captain Rodgers. I hoped I'd never see the thing used on another living being again. It was brutal.

 

When he began shouting and threatening the personnel at the SGC, I wanted to strangle him. Only the video of Apophis' earlier death at the SGC finally convinced him we spoke the truth. And only that footage would stop the deadly Final Challenge gearing up on that distant world… 

 

It fell to me to guard Sam's back as she desperately tried to get the video to play through the alien hologram device. Gunfire and mortars rained down on the deserted camp as the boys did their damnest to kill us all with a cache of real weapons. It was like being back in the hell of Bosnia, leading the troops through the chaos with Cooper's fine senses. I could almost see the soil in front of me exploding, the tearing pain shredding through my body… Terror and duty left me rooted to the spot until at last Sam crowing in success shooed off my paralysis. By then O'Neill was shouting and cursing for to her to hurry the hell up. Ducking gunfire, Sam trotted into the middle of the camp and knelt to set up the Volcuum. A bullet exploded through the canvas wall only a meter from where she was so horribly exposed to the fighting. Even as the Volcuum began its holographic sound and lightshow, I did the first thing that came to me.

 

I shot her.

 

Sam sagged at the bright red shot from my Entar plowing into her back and the fighting began to wane. The boys came at the bidding of their God and stared in horror at the recording of his death. I ignored it all, far more concerned with my unconscious pal. There were new scratches on her face from the fall and I winced. Only when the boys began to disperse did O'Neill kneel beside me where I dabbed at Sam's small wounds.

 

"What happened?"

 

I flashed him a humorless smile. "You did say sir, if she wanders off, shoot her."

 

The look on his face was priceless. With a grunt, I pulled Sam's weight across my shoulders and headed for the Stargate with a puzzled and nervous Cooper at my heels. I had tolerated more of this foolish war and these brainwashed boys than I could handle. Guilt at knocking Sam unconscious was eating away at me, despite doing it so that she was no longer a target for snipers. She was going to be so pissed at me…

 

++ Nurse Betty Garibaldi ++

 

There was a ruckus outside and I looked up to see Goldston stomp into the Infirmary. Still in full battle gear with her face painted up for guerilla warfare, she was scowling like an old veteran. But what really got my attention was the limp body sprawled boneless across her shoulders. "Incoming," I barked and the Sergeant waved the orderlies off.

 

"She's just stunned. Is there somewhere I can set her down until she wakes up?"

 

"Over here Sergeant."

 

I didn't care what the new kid said, I needed to check Major Carter over, or Fraiser would kill me. With a grunt, Goldston heaved Carter's limp frame onto the gurney. In all honesty, I was impressed by how gracefully she manipulated the tall woman's mass. I caught a glimpse of a small scorch mark on the back of Carter's fatigues and was immediately concerned. None of the men of SG1 seemed more than mildly concerned as they trooped in, but I did a thorough check anyway.

 

Two hours later, SG1, sans Carter, had scrubbed up, been checked off medically and been debriefed by Hammond. They had returned to check up on Carter and I remembered the task Fraiser had left me.

 

"Hey Goldston," I called out and she glanced over. "The boss left this for you."

 

And I handed over the note.

 

++ Art ++

 

Despite my worry over the still-unconscious Sam, I unfolded the little piece of paper and read. *Give me a call before you head home, I need to ask you something. –Janet.* 

 

A thrill raced up my spine, despite the benign nature of the note. A quick grin at Betty Garibaldi earned a small smile from the stoic blonde woman. "She's probably out of milk or something," I improvised and her smile deepened. 

 

"Is she okay to live with?"

 

"Oh yeah, she's great. I got a big backyard, my own comfy room and a great kid who likes to keep my partner busy. I'll stick around for as long as she'll have me," I gushed and quickly shut up before I sounded like a lovesick idiot. Cooper moved away as a soft moan caught my ear. It sounded like my pal was finally coming around. When I flopped down heavily onto the gurney beside Sam, the glazed blue eyes fluttered open. "He-ey, wassup, sleeping beauty?"

 

"Uhhnn… what happened?"

 

One hand had rose up to lightly touch the bandages on her face and Sam flashed me a piercing look. "Yes," I drawled gently. "I shot you for your own good. Didn't mean to ruin your good looks."

 

"You suck," Sam pouted and I chuckled. Without thinking about where we were, I reached out and fondly brushed her rumpled bangs away from her eyes.

 

"I just didn't want you to get shot for real. I'm sorry."

 

"'S okay," Sam yawned and patted my knee. "Say hi to Janet and Cassie for me?"

 

"With pleasure."

 

"Oh, and the keys are in my footlocker."

 

That made me grin fondly and wish that a kiss on the forehead wouldn't be misconstrued. "You're the best Sam, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

 

"Flatterer," she mumbled as healing sleep began to get the best of her. For a long moment I let my hand linger in the tangle of her soft hair before nurse Garibaldi's warm glower shooed me out. 

 

# Home at Last

 

It had taken me longer to get off base than I had expected. After waiting for Sam to wake briefly so that I could apologize, then finding her AWOL keys, it was now well after midnight. There had been something… thrillingly odd in Janet's voice when I had spoken to her briefly on the phone earlier. Claiming she was unused to having someone new in the house, a perfectly reasonable excuse, she had calmly inquired into my ETA. That had been nearly an hour ago and the subtle undercurrent of her voice still had me buzzing.

 

The house was dark as I pulled the battered Jeep into the driveway and reached back to let Cooper loose. "Now stay quiet," I whispered to myself as much as him and headed for the door. A fumble with the lock and we were inside. After a quick potty stop for my partner in the backyard, we headed upstairs. It was hard to believe that I had been with the SGC for almost two months. It was harder to believe that less than a month ago, I had become Janet Fraiser's lover.

 

I was tingling in anticipation of seeing Janet as Cooper and I crept down the hall. He made a beeline for Cassandra's door and curled up on the floor there. "Goodnight Cooper," I breathed almost silently and his tail shifted briefly in a wag. At the end of the hall was the master bedroom and my stomach was in knots as I approached. There was a faint glow under the door I noticed as I opened it… and froze.

 

Candlelight bathed the room in a warm glow. It flickered over the woman sprawled loosely in the center of the big bed, her body draped in fine lingerie. My tongue thickened, my heart stalled and I stared in absolute abandonment. Then she stirred lazily, making the gauzy robe dance over her curvy body, and I found myself moving again. Somehow the door was securely closed and I was crouched over her on hands and knees. Again she stirred and made a low, vulnerable sound that melted my heart. Those dark eyes fluttered open as I crawled over her, shaking with the intensity of my feelings. "You're home," she breathed and her smile was the most beautiful thing…

 

Slender arms coiled around my neck, coaxing me to rest my weight on her relaxed body. Until she had actually touched me, I wasn't certain I had been dreaming or not. Relief and love so strong I thought it would strangle me welled up and I wormed arms under her to grip tight. "I missed you."

 

"Mmm… me too."

 

Janet kissed my ear, her voice thick and warm. As we cuddled, all of my stress and exhaustion melted away. Eventually, her hands stoking my hair and back reminded me of what her touch was capable of. She giggled and squirmed in delight when I began suckling lightly at her throat. 

 

"Oh Art… that feels wonderful," Janet groaned softly and her caresses became more focused. That was all it took to coax me into a kiss and I was lost in her. I've been told I'm a good kisser. If that's true, then credit goes to those women who have inspired me. The intimate gesture was loving and affirming. It took patience and trust and concentration to really kiss someone. To not give my lover every part of my focus and need wasn't fair to them. Janet moaned and clung tightly to my curls as had quickly become her custom. I loved it, for her strong grip made me feel anchored and wanted. Beneath my greater mass, her curvy frame began squirming in earnest, pressing the buttons and seams of my uniform between us. Since the pressure wiggled her up against my scars, I was far from complaining. Never in a million years would I have ever believed that anything good could have come from that damned grenade until Janet Fraiser had trailed first fingers, then kisses over the ragged lines. Hypersensitive to the point of replacing many of my former hotspots, the scars nearly put me into orbit under her gentle touch. Abruptly, Janet wrapped both legs around my waist and clamped down hard enough to almost induce pain. That and a growling little bite at my lower lip made my eyes snap open.

 

"So," I whispered seductively when she allowed me up for air. "You missed me?"

 

"Oh yes. This bed felt so empty and I desperately missed your touch and the way you make me laugh…"

 

While Janet confessed her feelings, I smiled in unabashed delight. "Oh _ahgapee mou_ , it was so hard to be away from you."

 

"I think I remember you saying that before. What does it mean?" She queried and traced my features with a fingertip.

 

"It means; 'my love'," I whispered with my heart in my eyes and she smiled in tremulous wonderment. 

 

"That's beautiful."

 

After a quick kiss, I disentangled myself only enough to shift onto my side and run a lazy hand over her curves. Purring like a cat, Janet stretched luxuriously and I marveled at the subtle muscles that danced under her soft skin. Flushed from her stretch, she cuddled into me and again coaxed me into losing myself in her warmth.

 

"So," she breathed against my mouth what seemed like an eternity later. "Will you teach me some of those beautiful phrases? They sound so sexy coming out of you."

 

" _S'ahgapoh_ , I love you," I whispered in a low, sensual voice, utterly lost in her. " _M'ahgapahs_? Do you love me?" That earned another kiss and her hands began to peel away my clothes as I continued to murmur softly. " _Mahtia mou_ , my eyes. _Dheekoh mou gleekiah gahtahheetsa_ , my sweet kitten. _Thelo na kahnoomeh ehrota_ , I want to make love to you."

 

Janet whimpered, whether from my tone or the actual words, I couldn't tell. I felt a definite triumph that warmed me thoroughly as her shaking hands grew urgent. Erotic, open-mouthed kisses silenced me, drew my hands into exploring her again. The fatigue shirt was gone and my undershirt yanked over my head.

 

"You are so sexy," Janet suddenly commented and I flushed in self-conscious pleasure. "You are," she affirmed and pushed me onto my back to straddle me. How she loved to be on top… Dark eyes dancing with lust and amusement, Janet leaned down to map me again with that exquisite mouth. I watched in absolute concentration as she pressed slow, hot kisses to my skin.

 

++ Janet ++

 

It was still a miracle. The way she made me feel was unlike anything that had ever crossed my heart. She was unique to me, a rare diamond tinted blue and brown and smoky. She smelled of warmth and health and sunshine, her taste like the humid air after the rain. She had worked hard for the patterns of muscles that were quickly reawakening under her skin and they played harmonies with my wandering tongue. 

 

" _Enas flehrtakhias_ ," Art muttered in a slightly aggrieved tone and I smiled. My guess was that I had just been teasingly insulted and I nipped lightly at her through the soft sports bra. Both nipples were erect and I tormented them through the soft cloth. "Jaaannet," Art moaned softly and stroked my head and neck. So I slid my fingers underneath to trace her sultry flesh. When her breathing grew ragged, I took those hard nipples into my mouth to suckle and worry at them unmercifully. While I drove her towards madness, I shifted my body lightly against her to rasp the texture of the lace lingerie against her scars. The brutally efficient surgery that the Army doctors had performed to save her life had furthered certain damages that the grenade had begun. Much of Art's sexual sensitivity in her groin was gone, lost to scar tissue and severed nerves. Thankfully, her body had adapted to give me other ways to drive her mad with pleasure. My favorite was the thick central scar that ran from sternum to groin, where the surgeons had sliced open her body cavity. Now that jagged line was a hot spot that would make her writhe in abandonment if stroked with gentle pressure. As my tongue trailed lightly over the scar, Art's begging grew more desperate. Lower and lower I traced the proof of her survival, wandering off to caress the smaller scars where the shrapnel had torn into her. Perhaps it was the fact that I was a doctor and fascinated by the human body, but her scars did not bother me. Quite the contrary. The muscles of her abdomen were still somewhat soft under my touch, but I could feel that they were rapidly growing strong again with Art's adherence to exercise. What would she be like, tight and smooth with muscles? My hormones spiraled higher with the thought and I increased my caresses. Art spread her legs as I settled in to learn her taste again. Whatever sensitivity she was missing here, my caressing fingers over scars and nipples alike assured her continuing pleasure. I had learned that there was really no such thing as a quickie with Art, for she required intense, gentle stimulation that her redirected nerves could handle. But as her soft cries grew more abandoned, I knew that it was worth it. Some of the noises were vaguely coherent, sounding like broken Greek phrases. Her hips rocked against me, her warm taste growing thicker and more intense. 

 

When the orgasm did sweep across her, I drank in her changing tastes and felt my heart swell. How I adored bringing her to this place of abandonment. I crawled up her body, dropping random kisses on her damp skin. She purred under my kiss, her hands heavy and lazy on my back and neck.

 

"That was a wonderful welcome home, love."

 

"I did say I missed you," I chuckled and we laughed quietly together. While I was aflame with my own need, I so adored this decadent cuddling. No one I had ever taken as a lover was so openly tactile as this dark woman I had so quickly grown to love. There was no holding back when she sprawled loosely against me, whether we slept or talked or made love. She quietly told me about the mission's ending while she recovered. Quite suddenly I was flipped onto my back and she loomed over me.

 

"Enough about that. Let me love you, _agahpee mou_ …"

 

And with that growl, Art proceeded to map me again with mouth and hands.

 

++ Colonel Robert Makepeace ++

 

(4-15-99)

 

I had spent many years as a Marine, honing that sixth sense that keeps me constantly aware of my surroundings. It informed me that someone was headed my way and I shifted my attention. There were few things better than a fit, curvy woman in snug denim and this one did not disappoint. That is, until I looked up and recognized the face. My grin faded as I realized that it was SG1's new kid, with that bear she called a dog on her heels. For a long moment she paused a few feet away and gave me a look of head-cocked curiosity. An electric blue sweater brought out her sunset sky eyes and a bottle of amber liquid dangled from her right hand.

 

"May I join you?"

 

No 'sir' this time, for we were both out of uniform. I was half-startled and half-expecting her boldness. Something about her body language had tipped me off. After a moment, my own curiosity got the best of me and I waved her into the seat across the table. "Sure. What can I do for you?"

 

Gracefully, she settled into the chair and set the bottle in the exact center of the small table. Two shot glasses appeared beside them and she leaned back to pin me with an intense look. "I'd like to ask a favor of you." A mischievous expression flitted across her face for a moment before she continued. "But since it's a somewhat personal favor, I feel I need to earn it first."

 

I was astonished to find myself grinning in sync with her. There was something very likable about her, I could understood why SG1 had grown so fond of her. So I grabbed the bottle to take a closer look at it. It was a fine bottle of tequila. So I eyed it for a moment before firing her an amused and dubious look.

 

"Sergeant, are you challenging me to a drinking contest?"

 

Now she smiled in earnest. "I'm not up to arm wrestling Colonel, so this will have to do."

 

I laughed and eyed her slender frame. She wasn't built as willowy as Carter, nor as sturdy as Taylor, but still… "You're kidding, right? What do you weigh, maybe one thirty?"

 

"Then you have nothing to worry about do you? Call me a cab later and you can brag to your buddies that you got me drunk."

 

For some reason I didn't take offense, probably because of her teasing tone. Goldston had sprawled back in her chair and was eying me in amusement. There was more than a little challenge in her eyes. "And the Doc's not gonna kick my ass?"

 

"Nope, stomach's all in one piece again, thanks to Sam."

 

I had heard the stories, of course, of how Carter had used the Healing Device to fix the grenade scars. There was little that did not get disseminated around that base very quickly. So I shrugged and twisted the bottle open with the crackle of breaking plastic. "Must be some favor," I mused and she chuckled.

 

Some interminable time later, my vision was fuzzy and a second bottle had been emptied. Art had been fine company as we chatted about random subjects. At some point we'd gotten to a first name basis as the night wore on. Not only had the woman kept up with me shot for shot, I was beginning to dimly suspect that I was far drunker than she. 

 

"It runs in the family. I'm Greek, didn't I mention that?"

 

Had I said that out loud? A scowl made her laugh again. It was surprising how often she did that. Art was certainly like no other MP I'd ever known. Abruptly a coherent thought flashed through my head and I tried to sit up straighter. "So… now that you've succeeded in humiliating me, you had a favor to ask?"

 

Art snorted in amusement and eyed me closely. Damn her, she was barely unsteady as she gestured the waitress over to request a cab. "Bob, I do believe you're drunk." A quick glare for that comment tamped her hilarity down slightly. But not much. "I promise not to tell."

 

"Damn well better not. God… the others would never… let me live it down…" Carefully, she stood up and I was perversely pleased to realize that she was getting shaky as well. With a strength I wouldn't have expected, she ducked under my right arm and helped me to my feet. "You've done this… before."

 

"I was an MP for eight years, I've done this more times than I can count. Drunk and sober."

 

The sharp cold outside smacked some sense into me. "I can't believe you're still upright."

 

"If you'd known my grandmother, you wouldn't be as impressed."

 

We chuckled and I let go of my mild irritation at being out-drunk by an Army woman half my mass. "So ask already."

 

"You promise you won't kick my ass?"

 

She sounded like she really expected me to do it. "Jeez, Art, it can't be that bad. I'm a reasonable man."

 

This drunk, I was downright friendly. A pensive expression flashed across her face before she blurted it out all in a wild rush. "I've noticed that there's some chemistry and I was hoping I could get you to ask Sam out…" Her voice trailed away at my look of shock and she added meekly, "sir." I was floored. I thought no one knew about my attraction to the lanky Air Force Major. Art ran a nervous hand through her curls and pressed on. "I know I shouldn't have gotten involved, but you two seem to like each other and…" Finally she looked up at me with a truly miserable expression. "I'm sorry Bob, I'm out of line. Just don't tell Sam I did this, her friendship means too much to me."

 

A strong grip on Art's neck shut her up. A warm feeling swirled in my gut that had nothing to do with the alcohol I had consumed. "You're telling me… Carter might like me?"

 

I sounded like a nervous teenager even to my own ears. Carter couldn't possibly be interested in me… could she? My stupid grin brought out an answering one in my new pal and she nodded. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

 

The arm around Art's neck squeezed hard enough to make her squeak in protest. "Thanks. Now go home… and I promise not to tell any…body about this if you don't."

 

"Yes sir," she agreed empathetically and her grin kept me warm the whole cab ride back to my place.

 

++ Art ++

 

(4-16-99)

 

I suppose the ringing slap across the back of my head shouldn't have surprised me. But it did anyway and my spoon clattered into my soup and Daniel jerked away in shock. There was no need to look back to see who had done it.

 

"Mornin' Sam," I murmured sheepishly and she leaned over to glower into the corner of my eye.

 

"You are a manipulative, pushy, pain in my ass," she growled, but her eyes danced in embarrassed amusement. When her voice dropped to a whisper, I quirked a brief grin. "Thank you."

 

And with that, she walked away and left me the center of attention with a stinging scalp and no easy way to explain her behavior. Crap…

 

++ Sam ++

 

When Makepeace, Bob my delighted brain reminded me, had pulled me aside in the parking lot to nervously ask me out, I had nearly fallen over. He had been so jittery that I was amused until I realized what he was saying. My shock had nearly chased him off, but some part of me that had secretly wanted this stammered out an affirmative. The warm grin pulled a like expression from me and I knew that this was going to be fun.

 

Now I was at my cozy little house, wondering what the hell I was doing. There had been no plans for where we would go out, what we would do. There was only the fact that he would be here in less than twenty minutes and I had no idea what to do. While I worked myself up into a nervous wreck, those minutes bled away. The ring of my doorbell brought my heart up into my throat and I yanked on a white shirt. The last buttons slid home as I yanked open the front door. Well this was a pleasant change, some calm part of my brain commented. Bob was hardly the stoic Marine in jeans and baseball cap over his cropped hair. The goldenrod of his shirt brought out the pale hazel of his sharp eyes. And the riotous bunch buttercups in his hand made me grin idiotically.

 

"Hi," he said quietly and reached up as though to self-consciously pull off the hat. I stopped his hand and instead curled my own fingers around the bill to tug his head down and read the front. 

 

"Mercedes-Benz?" I asked in a flirtatious tone and he smiled shyly. "You have expensive tastes."

 

"No. I just like the best," he relied somberly and I flushed at the blatantly implied compliment. There was a long moment where neither of us knew what to say or do. Then one big hand reached out to wrap around mine, draw my unresisting limb up to wrap both our fingers around the bright yellow flowers. "For you. I liked the color."

 

Two compliments? Wow. This whole thing was looking better and better.

 

"So," Bob said in an almost normal tone. "Is there someplace that you'd like to go, or shall I impress you with my cooking skills?"

 

"You cook?"

 

That earned a wry, almost pained look, followed up by a sheepish grin. "I'm not just a military lout. I'm a good cook. I'll prove it to you."

 

"Okay, Bob, you're on."

 

It was shaping up to be a wonderful evening indeed.

 

# Let the Teasing Commence

++ Bob ++

 

(3-17-99)

 

Breakfast had been quiet and civil, my teammates crowded around me as we ate in a comfortable quiet. When Mac raised her head, I looked over as well. Despite the rest of us being the well-trained and experienced Marines, our small Navy medic was twice as observant as the rest of us put together. We relied on her talent heavily. Mac grinned as Art grabbed the chair between her and Green, who leaned away with a grumble.

 

"So," her mockingly cheerful voice broke into my thoughts and I winced. Grinning like a madwoman, Art settled into the chair opposite me and cocked her head in curiosity. "How was your night?"

 

A nervous glance showed that, yes, she had the attention of my entire damn team and a half dozen other personal as well. "Damn you," I muttered crankily under my breath and she grinned wolfishly. 

 

"Yeah, that insomnia seems to be goin' around," Art said in a voice tight with repressed hilarity. I guessed from her behavior that Sam looked about as well rested as I did today. The much-vaunted Marine glare was ineffectual, as she was very nearly sneering in my face. The fact that Mac and Chris were grinning in amusement while Mark patted Cooper was making me sweat. My 2IC, Eric, just leaned back and watched sardonically. 

 

"I must need a vacation," I finally managed to mutter.

 

"You and Carter both," she snorted and I nearly choked on my eggs. "Everyone here is a bunch of workaholics."

 

"Nobody is as bad a workaholic as Carter," Mac laughed as I coughed up my breakfast from the wrong pipe.

 

"True. But she'll actually listen to me motherhenning her on occasion. Are you gonna do the same?"

 

"Yes ma'am," I sighed and several soldiers repressed snickers at my sarcasm. My team made no such attempt and laughed at my expense. Thankfully, Art decided that she had provoked me enough and started in on her own breakfast. "So you're Jumping today," I started in with cautious nonchalance. I didn't want to set off her teasing again.

 

"Yeah. MOLP came back clean, but there may have been activity recently. If we're lucky, it'll be a cakewalk."

 

My teammates all squealed in horror before dissolving into hysterics over the running SG3 gag that she had accidentally referenced to. "Never call a Jump a cakewalk. It's bad news. You realize that you've now jinxed yourself," I couldn't help but taunt. It was a rare opportunity. Art snorted mockingly.

 

"Oh please."

 

We laughed off the silly superstition.

 

**Love's Loss and the Damage Left Behind**

 

++ Daniel ++

 

(4-19-99)

 

It wouldn't stop, the cycle like a nightmare I couldn't wake from. Over and over she returned to me, only to be torn away yet again in the twisted mindscape I was being subjected to. As the looping illusion began to break down and I found myself being tortured in a tent on an alien world… I couldn't do it. The gun fell from nerveless fingers as I stared into the glowing eyes of my dearest love. She meant so much to me that even my own life paled in comparison. Then I heard it, saw it, had the image burned into my memory for all eternity. I heard a familiar voice, but couldn't make out the words through my own agony. How I hurt! Not only my tortured flesh, but to once again witness the evil glow of the Goa'uld Amonet….

 

There was the distant clatter of bullets and Sha're suddenly jerked to the left, her expression an odd combination of shock and relief. Blood sprayed everywhere, each droplet arching with poetic slow motion.

 

And we crashed to the unforgiving ground. There was no sight behind the eyes, the alien glow fading in death. No one needed to tell me she was gone, my beloved Sha're was gone…

 

++ Sam ++

 

(4-20-99)

 

"I didn't know," Art said hollowly as she stared at the tabletop. We could barely stand to look at one another, any of us. General Hammond came over to stand beside her and rested one hand on a bowed shoulder.

 

"Would you have done anything different if you had known?"

 

The gentle, almost fatherly tone brought a lump to my throat and tears gathered in Art's cloudy eyes. A long moment passed before she shook her head, resigned to the truth. "No sir," she whispered. "I would have still pulled the trigger to try and save Daniel."

 

Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet Hammond's and saw something there that gave her the strength to raise her head and take a steadying breath. "You did what you had to do Sergeant," he said softly and squeezed down on her shoulder for a long moment. When he spoke again, the tone was harsh and tightly controlled. "You all need some recovery time from this. That's an order. Your mission to EPF-984 will be postponed until further notice."

 

There was a long pause as his gaze rested on each of us.

 

"Dismissed."

 

++ Daniel ++

 

"I'm sorry seems so trite."

 

The low, harsh voice was unexpected. And yet I was not the slightest bit surprised that she was here.

 

"When I saw her hurting you," the voice broke off for a moment, breathing choked and pained. "I just reacted." Some small part of my brain that was not frozen with the numbness inside me listened intently to her words, her tone. "Right now I'm hating those reflexes, hating…"

 

Hating herself.

 

That's what she was thinking, I realized with a start. The realization shocked me enough to break through my own numbing agony. When I turned my head, she was almost out the door, head low, fists clenched, muscles tight with strain. She looked so defeated that I had to reach out and try to make some good of this.

 

"I don't hate you, Art."

 

The moment the words left my lips, I knew they were true.

 

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Art half-turned and our gazes met. Somehow, our shared torment, mingled there in our eyes, made it all easier to bear. I wasn't alone in this pain. 

 

"You don't?"

 

Weak, tentative, child-soft, the words came past my ears.

 

"No," I breathed just as quietly, felt the first stirrings of hope in my shattered heart. Like a skittish wolf, Art sidled over to stand beside the bed. It was an unconscious thought that made me take her right hand in mine. Those strong, callused fingers had taken another life… to save mine. It was the kind of sobering realization that was enough to drive a sane person mad.

 

Or a madman sane.

 

Carefully, I traced each finger, following the slide of our skins with my eyes. A tug sat her on the edge of the hospital bed and I met her eyes again.

 

"We'll be okay?"

 

It was a question, not a statement, my plea for us to find a middle ground in this tragedy. Eyes thick and bright with unshed tears, Art managed to nod shakily and grip my fingers with bruising intensity.


	7. Her or Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SG1 discovers that technology can really mess with your social life… Janet is reunited with a very old friend and the gang gets a lesson in the differences between men and women.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Think the last chapter was deep and hot? You ain't seen nothin' yet. This one will fry your synapses! This part has quite the variety folks! Straight smut (sort of?) and girl smut, so consider yourselves warned.
> 
> Pairings: Whoo ho! There's all kinds o' smut and bonding goin' on here! Janet and Art pass quite a hurtle in their relationship. Sam gets lucky, finally, but the exact circumstances will make you gawk…

**The Circle Expands**

 

++ Janet ++

 

(4-27-99)

 

"Janet?"

 

Startled by the voice, I whirled around to face the newcomer. That grin flashed, blissfully familiar, and I felt myself smile in response.

 

"Darya!"

 

It was as though no time had passed between us, as though the pains we had been subjected to had never happened. With a squeal of delight at odds with my uniform and position and state of mind, I pounced on my old friend as was relieved to feel her arms around me again. Shoving aside my melancholy over Art leaving for a mission earlier today, I held Darya at arm's length and gave her the once over.

 

"You look good Dare. I'm so glad this worked out and you agreed to come here and join in."

 

"With the offer the Air Force gave me? How could I resist?"

 

Flashing her a wry look and deliberately ignoring the odd looks the hospital staff were firing at me, I crouched down to say hello to her daughter. "Well hi, Emily. How are you doing?"

 

"Hi aunt Nanet! Wen' on plane!"

 

"Fun huh?" Plucking Emily from the stroller, I grinned at Darya and jerked my chin in the direction of my office. "Come sit. We have tons to catch up on."

 

Darya Farazell and I had been the closest of friends in that restrictive boarding school a lifetime ago. Together with Xavier and Kim, we were a force of nature until our college years had begun to draw to a close. From the best of friends, we'd moved on to become lovers. She was the one to coax me out of my shell and taught me what a part of me already knew. When I panicked and ran from the relationship, I hurt us both, not to mention Kim and X. Then Darya met Emma and true love allowed her to forgive me. From that much-needed forgiveness a beautiful new friendship blossomed. Even with thousands of miles separating us, we had stayed close. When Em died in that tragic car accident, I had rushed to Darya's side to help her through the loss.

 

"So," Darya said expansively and snuggled down into the spare chair to eyeball me. "Tell me what on earth is so secret that you had to recruit me from halfway across the country and the military had to do a background check that made the original one pale in comparison?"

 

It was so easy to forget that Darya had once been AF as well. When she fell for Em, she had ditched her commission to be with her love. I was still awed and appalled by her bravery. And faint with relief that the SGC was willing to let her in anyway.

 

"I need you for Cassandra," I said softly and her dark head canted to one side in curiosity.

 

"What about Cass?"

 

They had met once or twice when I visited San Francisco after adopting Cassandra and gotten along fine. But Cassandra needed someone with more heart than Mackenzie to talk to and she needed to be able to have the option to be completely honest with that person. A month and a half ago I begged General Hammond to try and get permission for Darya to join the project. As an experienced psychiatrist specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in combat veterans, and someone I trusted implicitly, she was perfect. Better still, Cassie liked her. So I made myself comfy and prepared to fill Darya in on the basics of what I had been doing for the past three years.

 

"Hey Dare? Do you believe in aliens?"

 

## The Circle Comes Together

 

++ Darya ++

 

(5-2-99)

 

It had been five days since I had been told what was going on under Cheyenne Mountain. That Cassie was an alien, and Janet had set foot on other worlds. There was a huge part of me that still didn't believe it. I mean, really, there was the teen, splashing around in the pool with Emily, both of them squealing with delight. How on earth could the stories be true? Yet Janet had shown me enough proof that I had to believe it. What I really wanted to do was see this 'Stargate' and the facility that housed it. But I had been brought in on the secret for the sole purpose of Cassie's well-being and that would be enough. As though conjured by my thoughts, Janet appeared beside me with a tray in hand.

 

"Hey girls," she called out. "I have your favorite."

 

"Appa juice!" Emily yelled and tried to squirm away from Cassie. The inflatable ring built into her swimsuit and the teen's secure grip kept her safe in the water.

 

"Sheesh, Em," Cassie groused from the jostling and I felt my heart catch. The short nickname always brought on the ache of my true love's loss. My precious baby had been named after the woman who was to have been her other parent. Now she would never know that wonderful woman.

 

"You okay?" Janet asked softly and I glanced over to see a similar pain in her eyes. Then it hit me, that niggling curiosity that had been bugging me since moving here to Colorado. Janet-hold-them-at-arms-length-Fraiser… was in love. Would wonders never cease? And she was missing that lover desperately if her expression was any indication. Cursing my uncharacteristic cluelessness, I gave her a measuring stare that made her swallow and cringe away. There would be no hiding from me now. Then I smiled winningly at the girls as though nothing was up.

 

The day of sun and fun had been exactly what the doctor ordered and we were all pink and happy. Well I was more cocoa than pink, and when I said as much, earned laughter. Heavy with tiredness, Emily was sprawled in my lap with her fist against her mouth. That was an inescapable indication that she needed sleep.

 

"Okay sweetie, time for bed."

 

Before I could do more than shift our combined weight, Cassie jumped to her feet. "I'll do it. You guys stay put. Mom, when you're ready to go, I'll be with Emily."

 

We both said something appropriate as Cassie gathered up Emily's unresisting weight and they vanished into the depths of the townhouse. That left me alone with the always-hard-to-read Janet. Only, when I looked at her, she was obviously lost and hurting. In all the years I had known her, I'd rarely seen the vulnerable expression on her features. So I grabbed my wineglass and flopped my body down into the cushions beside her.

 

"So," I began in my gentlest voice. "Tell me about her."

 

That was all it took. Great, sad tears welled up in those brown eyes and Janet's breath caught in a sob. In an instant, I had my arms full of her, and concentrated on stroking her hair and soothing her. In time, Janet began to speak of the amazing woman that had so unexpectedly walked into her life. By the time we grew weary, I felt as though I had almost gotten to know Janet's lover through her. My own heart ached with the loss of my own, but I was ecstatic for my aloof pal. She had been alone far too long.

 

"I know how you felt now," Janet said quietly after we'd sat in a comfortable quiet for some time. "And how much it must have hurt to lose Em."

 

There wasn't much to add to that.

 

**Her or Him…**

 

++ Teal'c ++

 

(4-28-99)

 

It happened so quickly… One moment we were prowling down the dusty halls of some unknown and seemingly dead technological world, weapons at the ready. Then there was a strange electric sensation like a lightning strike that froze me in my tracks. Before my eyes, both Colonel O'Neill and Sergeant Goldston went rigid… and disappeared as though they had never been. For a timeless instant, their gear and clothing hovered motionless in the exact shape of their now-missing bodies. Then the paralyzing force released me and the gear collapsed noisily to the floor. Even before I whirled to check on Major Carter and Daniel Jackson, I knew that they too, were gone. 

 

For long, suffocating moments, neither Cooper nor I moved. Then he whined in distress and began to sniff around. There was terror in his amber eyes as he nosed the pile of camouflaged fatigues that had been his Handler only a few heartbeats ago.

 

"Colonel O'Neill," I called out in a voice that carried only the faintest hint of a tremor. One by one, I called their names but was met with only silence.

 

Once the shock had worn off, I quickly gathered my teammate's gear and bundled it together. Everything was there, from boots to underwear. The distinctive dogtags and Daniel's glasses were placed respectfully in the pocket closest to my heart. If the worst had occurred, I would bear those few things back to the home of the Tau'ri to be properly discharged. Then I moved silently into the complex with the nervous Cooper on my heels…

 

# Never Give Up…

 

In time, the urge to admit defeat grew strong. Cooper and I encouraged one another when morale grew low. His unspoken support was invaluable to our search and I found it difficult to believe that we had once been so distant. Then, after days lost in the ghostly silent catacombs of the alien complex, Cooper paused. I had long since learned to trust his animal instincts and froze in response. A long moment passed while Cooper scented the air, every muscle taut and straining. Then his proud head cocked to one side and he whimpered uncertainly.

 

"What is it Cooper?" Something about his body language reminded me of that first time we met. It was the same uncertainty that he had displayed over the smell of the Goa'uld on myself and Major Carter… "Do you sense them?"

 

Another whine sounded in the dimness and Cooper began to move hesitantly down the hall. It never occurred to me not to follow. As the invisible trail of scent led Cooper further into the unknown, he began to pick up speed. Soon we were running as though pursued by Apophis himself. Then he slid to a clumsy halt outside a pair of massive metal doors before gathering himself to paw urgently at them. They were like nothing I had ever seen. It would undoubtedly take considerable time and effort to open them. So when they swung open easily with my touch, I was both surprised and worried.

 

Inside was a chamber of horrors. Great banks of indecipherable equipment stood in various states of activity and repair. But what made me follow Cooper into the room were the four Human figures sprawled on identical metal tables. Only, I did not know them. And by the manner Cooper was broadcasting his confusion and distress, they were unfamiliar to him as well. Still, I would not leave these strangers in this forbidding place. They were naked, two men and two women, and one of the males caught my eye. The disarrayed gold of his hair in the bright spotlight reminded me strongly of Major Carter. As I drew closer to the table, a bolt of shock the likes of which I had never felt before lanced though my body. 

 

It was impossible… the straight, narrow nose beneath the fringe of unruly hair. But the chin was too strong, the cheekbones more pronounced and the jaw squarer than I was accustomed to beneath the gold fuzz of beard. My eyes jerked up to stare at the second, swarthy male and the distinctive pattern of ugly and puckered scars tracing over the muscled thighs and torso. And beyond that was a woman with an untidy shock of short, dark hair with silver feathering back from her temples…

 

++ General Hammond ++

 

(5-3-99)

 

When SG1's code finally transmitted through the Stargate, I nearly leapt right through the armored glass window.

 

"Open the iris!" I shouted and leaned forward as though I could wish my people to walk through the shimmering Stargate unharmed. They had been gone too long, too damn long… then at last, a figure appeared from the glow, but it was not what anyone expected. It was Cooper's tail end and he was obviously dragging something in his teeth. Sure enough, a limp body in fatigues began to appear even as a heavily laden down Teal'c stumbled through the event horizon and promptly collapsed to one knee. The male bodies dangling from his fists slumped boneless beside him and he nearly lost the small woman draped across his shoulders. They were all haphazardly in the familiar green uniforms, but barefoot and the coloring was unfamiliar. Some part of my brain was slowly beginning to guess what had happened even as I rushed down into the Gateroom.

 

"Teal'c! What happened?" 

 

Then the gold hair registered. For a moment I had thought that it was Jack by the build, but that color was distinctly Carter's… Too exhausted to speak, Teal'c shrugged the woman across his shoulders into my arms. By all that was holy… was this Jackson? There were strong hints of the man's features in the pretty face lolling against my chest. A shocked glance at the blonde confirmed that the unfamiliar man did indeed bear a striking resemblance to Carter and the dark man to Goldston.

 

"What happened?" I asked again and ignored the note of shock in my tone. Teal'c was breathing as hard as Cooper, now standing silent sentinel over the last member of what could only be the rest of SG1. The gray at the temples was not as pronounced, but it was still recognizable. Forcing myself to be professional about this, I turned to the stunned guards at the bottom of the ramp. "Get the medical teams in here, ASAP!"

 

++ Janet ++

 

Oh, this was going to make one hell of a story one day, I mused to myself as the last of the four were gently deposited on gurneys. It had to be them; it was just so difficult to rationalize the familiar with the unfamiliar. I immersed myself in the banal physical details of the transformation to combat the emotional shock of the situation. Who knew Sam would make such a tall, strapping man? Dark golden fuzz curled along Sam's chin and spread across her/his muscled chest like prairie grass. Or that Daniel would make such a delicate woman? Jack was a handsome, busty woman that bore the same character lines on his/her transformed face.

 

While Art's height had not increased significantly, the muscle mass certainly had. Thick black facial hair matched the scattered patterns of the stuff decorating her/his changed body. My hands trembled as I traced the unfamiliar, masculine lines of my lover's form. It had only been a month and a half since that fateful morning in my backyard where we had first kissed. Memories of her svelte body wrapped around mine threatened to drive me mad. So I brutally forced myself to be the aloof doctor I had always been before she had walked into my life. A quick, thorough medical exam showed them to be healthy and physically unharmed. So the blood samples were sent to the lab and I settled in to wait.

 

It did not take long. I had nearly dozed off in a chair among the gurneys when a low moan alerted me. Shooing away the rest of the staff, I spotted Jack stirring restlessly and moved to his/her bedside. I watched the movements halt and the dark brows furrow in confusion. 

 

"Jack?" I greeted her/him softly. While I had never called my superior by his first name, now seemed like a good time. A long beat passed before one brown eye slit open to eye me soberly. "You and the others, except for Teal'c were… abducted by an alien technology that… transformed you. There doesn't appear to be any physical damage, but…"

 

I could not finish the thought and Jack's eyes finally opened to look around the room. He/she stared long and hard at Sam, sprawled inelegantly not three feet away.

 

"Carter?" The tremor in the alto voice made my heart ache. Shaking hands traced lightly up Jack's changed body to rest on her throat. "Oh, this is good. What happened?"

 

That was the Jack O'Neill I knew, sarcastic and adaptable. Wearily, she sat up and glared at me while I obediently passed on what little the thoroughly exhausted Teal'c had managed to tell us. Even now, he slept beside Daniel with Cooper curled up on the floor beside him. The poor dog was skittish and hopelessly confused. Eyeing Art, I could understand his feelings. If the four of them looked this different, I could only imagine what they must smell like. 

 

About that time, Sam began to stir and I quickly grabbed the fatigues that I so recently stripped off the changed body to do a thorough examination. By the size of them I guessed they had been Sam's originally. Thrusting them into Jack's hands, I gestured for my office. "Go change. You'll probably feel better in clothing instead of a hospital gown. I'll take good care of your team."

 

Miserable and freaked out, Jack stared at me owl-eyed for a long beat before obeying. Then I turned my concentration to the changed Sam. If she had been a fairly tall woman, she made a towering man and I worried about restraining my friend if it became necessary. Blue eyes abruptly snapped open and I leaned comfortingly over her/him. "He-ey. Don't freak, I know this is strange, but you need to stay calm."

 

"Janet?" The low tenor voice cracked alarmingly halfway through my name and Sam's brows drew in. Boldly, I laid a hand on the broad chest and the other on her/his forehead. And with those sky eyes desperately searching mine for reassurance, I explained again. Once Sam was calm, I helped pull him into a sitting position and grabbed his muscled biceps when his changed center of gravity nearly toppled him.

 

"Easy, easy. You're significantly taller and heavier now. You'll need to be careful until your brain adapts to your body."

 

The door behind me clicked open and Sam and Jack were left staring in shock at one another. Neither spoke, the situation was too raw, but various things were said with their gazes alone. One of the orderlies discreetly handed a pile of fatigues to me. "Sam," I said firmly and broke the staring contest. "Go change clothes. Here, these should fit. We'll get you shoes once we figure out what size you wear."

 

Some time passed and I still didn't know why Daniel and Art hadn't regained consciousness and it bothered me enormously. Jack and Sam were sitting quietly after being gently debriefed by General Hammond. Teal'c and Cooper still slept, completely wiped out from dragging their teammates through the alien complex for heaven only knows how long. Each time someone walked into the Infirmary, Sam and Jack would flinch. Neither would meet the eyes of any of their co-workers. The transformed Sam was hugging one knee to his chest, the other dangling loosely over the edge of the gurney. It was such a familiar pose of the woman we all knew so well that it was eerie to see this handsome man doing the same thing. Jack would flash some well-known body language or gesture that would confuse me every time.

 

++ Jack ++

 

An odd movement in the corner of my eye made me glance over to see that Sam was starting to shake. With a quick gesture to a nurse, Janet seemed to teleport over and grabbed Sam in a tight hug. Trembling in shock, Sam clung to the small woman hard enough that it must have been fairly painful. Janet just stroked the familiar blonde hair and whispered comfortingly under her breath. To my mortification, I bitterly envied them for an endless moment. No one would comfort me over the shock of this transformed body. Even if someone tried, they would be turned away. Unbidden, my eyes drifted over to where Art and Daniel still lay unconscious. What would happen when they woke? What would happen to Cooper? What would happen to any of us? Too turned-around to think straight, I rested my head in my hands and tried to let it all go. Even for just a moment.

 

Eventually, Fraiser finally sent me off to regroup in my quarters. They looked and smelled all wrong. Did it really make such a huge difference? Letting my senses adjust to my once-familiar surroundings, I could only concluded that the sexes really were as different as I had always thought they were. Shaking off the almost humorous thought, I moved further into my quarters and froze when a flicker of movement caught my eye.

 

Good God…

 

If I'd had a sister, this is what she would have looked like. Fascinated and horrified, I stepped closer to the silvered glass and faced myself. The hair was just graying at the temples of my familiar buzzcut and it was slightly softer when I touched the short strands. The weirdest thing was, the longer I stared… the more I still looked an awful lot like me. The bone structure was gentler, the lines of time around my eyes in slightly different patterns. I looked like a handsome woman just at the young end of middle age. But my eyes were the same.

 

When I winced, the stranger looking back at me responded like those ridiculous cartoons with the characters pantomiming one another through a space they thought was a mirror. This was gonna be really hard…  


++ Sam ++  
  
Holy Hannah! How could men deal with this damn thing day in and day out? Where was I supposed to put it when I got dressed? And was it ever so painfully sensitive! The dammed testicles were even worse. Now I understood why kneeing guys in the crotch caused them to double over. I only nudged myself with a boot as I was putting on my new fatigues and the pain was excruciating! Like gas cramps and a crotch full of broken glass. I wish there was someone who could help me out with all this…    
  
Maybe I could ask Janet. Or Art. She has brothers. Or, I guess, he has brothers is more correct. This damn gender confusion was nearly as bad as the foreign sensations in my body.  
  
Then I paused. Poor Art and Janet! They had only just gotten together and now… They were such a great couple. Shocked, I felt the damn penis stir with even the mere thought of my friends together, and I wasn't ready to deal with exactly why.  
  
And what about Bob? It's not like we were in love or anything, but it could've been so good, maybe lasting longer than just a love affair... Now, that wasn't even a possibility. Thankfully, the budding erection began to subside.  
  
That gave me an excuse to go back to seething over damned outdoor plumbing. Tuck it up? Let it trail down the pants leg? God, what should I do with it?  
  
For years in the military I'd heard the jokes men would make. Now I was really beginning to understand.

 

Boxers or briefs? For the sake of my sanity and my nervous system, probably the latter. The idea of the stupid thing dangling loose was horrifying.  
  
There was one bright side to this. Now the colonel and Daniel would see what it's like to be a woman. Oh, I didn't envy them their first period! I needed to remember to stay away from Jack after those first signs appeared...  
  
Oh God, were we stuck this way? Forever?  
  
++ Art ++  


Cooper…

 

Oh, my poor, poor Cooper.

 

My heart was shattering into a thousand pieces, shredding my soul. He didn't understand…

 

He was even more lost than I was. How could he understand that it was me in this muscular, male body? I smelled different even to my weak, human nose. My stride was awkward and heavy, my body language completely wrong. When he had finally growled at me in confusion, I'd grown so concerned for everyone's safety that Cooper had gone into quarantine. And there my heart remained, bloody and tattered.

 

And Janet… The very thought of her made my throat close even tighter and tears threaten to expose my pain. On the surface, my darling seemed to be taking this in stride. But neither of us could do more than be awkwardly polite. I suppose that made our cover as 'just friends' very convincing. I hated sneaking around… but the military was very clear on what they would do to us if we were caught. Shrugging off the pain, I tried to think about something else, anything else.  


Poor Sam. She… he? Sam didn't really have anyone to lean on. She and Bob were too new, too raw as a couple. Even the two of us were having trouble socializing, and we didn't have the stigma of being lovers. 

  
I looked up from my lunch to see Sam step into the commissary. If I were wired that way, I would be drooling. I knew most of the straight women officers on the base were having a damn hard time keeping their eyes off of him. Drop dead good-looking, but not in an overblown macho way like so many men in uniform, there was a softness that made him undeniably appealing. This was my beloved pal Sam, regardless of the packaging.   
  
It looked like Sam had been fighting crying. I sympathized completely.  _Theh-mou_ , what a shock! To suddenly wake up and find you've been changed into a man! Hair in weird places. Body mass all wrong and long bones all the wrong lengths. I wasn't even going to dwell on my new sexual equipment.

  
I had to wonder how Daniel and Colonel O'Neill were coping. Probably no better than we were. Especially Mr. Macho O'Neill...

 

"Art?"  
  
Sam was standing there looking at me. I must've chuckled aloud. "Yeah, uh, I was just thinking about… uh, what the Colonel must be doing. I haven't seen him… her or Daniel in days."

 

"Me either."

 

There was an odd tension in Sam, a trapped animal kind of body language. "Join me?" I ventured and his relief was almost comical.

 

"I'd love to."

 

Neither of us knew what to say, so I watched Sam eat. Very deliberately and cautiously, he picked up the fork and began to work on the pile of noodles and sauce on the tray. It was like watching a little kid try and use a utensil for the first time. After long moments, I suddenly understood why. Sam had been a fairly tall woman at five foot ten. She had probably been that height since puberty. Now suddenly she was trapped in a towering male body that stood a full six inches taller that her former frame. The arms alone must be a good three inches longer. Almost in response to my revelation, Sam reached for his drink. The brain was expecting to only reach a certain distance, but the too-long arm smacked the mug over hard enough to send hot coffee splashing across the table and all over me. The sensations were so shocking that I half-jumped to my feet and went crashing into the officers behind me.

 

Ouch.

 

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my head and curled up my body protectively, pinging off bodies and smacking something hard with my shoulder before thumping to the floor with a 'whuff'. Oh yeah, so graceful Goldston. At least I had only gained a couple of inches and the muscle mass was proving helpful in this case. There were people fussing over me as I warily unwound from my defensive curl. I recognized the woman crouching over me as Major Taylor. "You okay?"

 

I couldn't help myself.

 

The stress of the last couple of days bubbled up from deep inside to escape in an explosion of laughter that had a distinctly hysterical quaver to it. Major Taylor gave me a small, sympathetic smile and grunted as she bodily hauled me to my feet by my shirtfront. Those emerald eyes gave me a quick once over before she nodded decisively and grabbed my chair.

 

"You should finish your lunch, Sergeant," she said calmly and soothingly before turning that gaze on Sam. "So should you, Sam. Let me know if you need anything."

 

And with that, Taylor returned to her table and the scattered conversations started up again. Bless the woman; she had diffused our humiliation with professionalism and kindness. Sam met my gaze and we burst into girlie giggles that had us both feeling much better. Together, we could survive this trauma. Now we just had to figure out what to do about our teammates.

 

++ Janet ++  
  
Oh, thank you Art, my love. I'd walked into the commissary just in time to see Art's spill and subsequent laughter. Both of them seemed far less tense now, their old camaraderie showing. That laughter was just what the doctor should have ordered.

  
Oh, but when I saw them acting almost their normal selves... My heart clenched up so hard I was dizzy. I missed them both so bad, but was still unnerved by my lover. The thick carpet of inky hairs bristling from jaw and cheeks, the thick muscles, the even-lower voice… How was I supposed to deal with this?  
  
And poor Sam? She'd spent her whole life proving that a beautiful woman could be intelligent, a genius really, and hold her own with any man in or out of uniform. Now she was this towering, clumsy man. Different body, different thought processes. I couldn't even imagine what they must be going through. Even more than that... I knew Sam. She was all woman beneath the layers of scientist, warrior and explorer. She reveled in it.  
  
My Art did too. I wondered how this would affect us in the long run. I still loved her with all my heart, but all I could see was the masculine appearance. I could accept her, given time. I only hoped she could accept herself as well as me.

 

**Time Moves On…**   


++ Lieutenant Carol Aster ++

 

(5-24-99)

 

"Yeah, yeah, tell me one I haven't heard. C'mon Aster, you've got to have something more original than that," Karen taunted and my scowl only made the other two laugh harder. This Friday ritual had become as habitual as possible, given all of our weird schedules. With serious-faced Betty Garibaldi constantly busting ass in the Infirmary and Mac and Karen and me on teams, it wasn't as often as we liked. It was rare for me to pal around with co-workers, but I had grown to like these three and this stupid game we often played. God only knows how it started, but it had given us multiple opportunities to do things we wouldn't normally do. When we had figured out what a great poker face Karen had and the fact that she was so damn hard to shock, we all did our damnest to do just that. Now one of us would try and get a response, no matter how slight, while the other two acted as judges. If she didn't crack, the challenger took a shot out of whatever bottle of nastiness had been bought that night. If Karen cracked, she took the hit. Few of us went home sober on these nights. It wasn't easy and somehow I ended up in the hotseat tonight. Seemed like that happened awfully frequently. Something to do with dueling competitive streaks and the lowest alcohol tolerance no doubt. Still grinning, Betty smoothed back her long mane of blonde hair and filled my shotglass from a fifth of whisky.

 

"Bottoms up," she smirked and I scowled again. I really should know better than to get involved in these 'go-on-shock-me' binges with Karen. With a quick toss, the shot joined its mates and the other three howled in approval. Oh yeah, I was getting fucked up and fast.

 

Just then, a rowdy crowd of disheveled men poured into the bar, along with some of their womenfolk. By the shouts of recognition, this was some local football team. It also appeared that this probably wasn't the first place they had hit. My eyes zeroed in on a tall, strapping blonde guy who was the center of a happily drunk little knot of men. My mouth went dry when I recognized him. Two and a half weeks ago I had dragged myself wearily into the Commissary to spot the most gorgeous man I had ever seen. It was lust at first sight. When I found out later what had happened to SG1, it was revealed that the golden Adonis was in fact Major Samantha Carter. Once I had seen all four of them together, it was fairly obvious and I was saved the humiliation of making a pass at him. But even now it was difficult to pull my eyes away, illicit thoughts of what I could do to him running through my imagination. The sight of O'Neill, Jackson and Goldston in the crowd finally chased off my speculative gaze… only to find my tablemates eyeing me curiously. "What?" I snapped defensively and they laughed.

 

"See somethin' you like in that meat caravan?"

 

Mac's taunt made me flush and the others laughed even harder. Amid much bantering, we continued to drink and challenge one another to foolishness. Several rounds later, Karen had regained her poker face and I was once again facing the bottom of the bottle. I was getting desperate and was more than drunk enough to do something stupid about it. So when I fired a sharp look at Karen, she sat up and took notice. "Okay, let's up the stakes," I challenged belligerently and suddenly had their undivided attention. "Not only can I shock you, but fifty bucks and the rest of the bottle says I can make you gawk like a beached fish."

 

They stared at me as though to evaluate how drunk I really was. Oh, this was probably a really bad idea, but I couldn't bring myself to back down. Karen grinned at my mule-headed glare and went for her wallet to throw three twenties on the table. "You're on. Impress me, Aster."

 

Well, that cut it. With their curious, goading stares egging me on, I stood woozily and headed for the bar. It wasn't easy to muscle my small body into the crowd of football players, but I quickly found myself thumping solidly into the sculpted chest of the very man I was intent on. Maybe some of this borderline obsessing over him had something to do with Carter being SG1. After all, they had a near-mythical status among the other SG teams. I had always been the hero-worshipping type and coupled with those frank good looks; I really didn't have a chance.

 

"Hey," he responded softly to my sudden proximity and a steadying hand came to rest on my waist. "You okay?" After a shy moment, I tilted my head back to meet the crystal blue eyes and swallowed hard enough to make my throat hurt. "I know you," Carter smiled in delight. "Hi."

 

Aw, man, I had it bad. This was like being in high school again and having a crush on the star quarterback. "Umm," I began idiotically and struggled to bring my higher brain functions online through the haze of alcohol and hormones. "I was hoping you could help me out with something."

 

"Sure, name it."

 

"Umm, it's kinda personal."

 

"That's okay, I trust you."

 

Dammit! And he had to be friendly and helpful on top of being brilliant and drop-dead foxy. With a quick, nervous glance around to ensure that no one else in SG1 was looking, I hooked a hand around Carter's neck and pulled him down for a quick kiss. It was a fairly chaste kiss; after all, he was way too shocked to respond. The intoxicating blue eyes were quite surprised when we separated after only a moment. "Sorry, um… sir," I explained hastily to my superior officer. "I was dared. You understand."

 

A smile ghosted across the expressive face and I tried to ignore the memory of those firm lips and the faint taste of beer. There was a whoop and some guy threw a rough arm around Carter, nearly upsetting us both. "C'mon Sam," he laughed. "Give the poor girl a break and give her a real kiss. How many guys get such a great come on?"

 

That earned him a wry look and a dry, Teal'c-esque, "how many, indeed."

 

Carter twisted to set down his beer before turning back to me. All this time that big hand had remained snuggled lightly in the curve of my waist and he tugged me closer as his football teammates took up the taunt. "I was dared," he teased lightly and my heart rate kicked up at the gleam in his eye. "You understand."

 

Whatever the hell I had been expecting, this hadn't been it. This was the kind of kiss my dirty mind had conjured up when I had first spotted this handsome guy two weeks ago. Unconsciously, both hands reached up to wind into the gold hair and hang on for dear life. Rough and curious, lips and teeth and tongue branded me and left me shaken. By the time we came up for air, the whole damn bar was howling along and I found myself crushed up against that strong chest. Oh yeah, this was a memory I was gonna keep close. Those captivating eyes stared blankly into mine for a long moment before his whole face flushed bright red. The audience went nuts. Embarrassed and hornier than hell, I pressed a fond kiss to the tip of his nose and pulled away from the embrace. Ah, so this is what euphoria felt like, I giggled madly to myself.

 

And when I approached my table, all three of my pals were indeed gawking in astonishment. Karen actually had to shake herself out when I flopped down into my chair to grin evilly at her. The three twenty dollar bills were shoved across the table while the other hand reached for the bottle. "For that stunt," she muttered. "You can keep the change."

 

And put the rest of the whiskey down without coming up for air.

 

++ Sam ++

 

When I noticed that it was nearly one thirty, I sputtered into my beer. That made Art follow my gaze to my watch and his eyes grew round. " _Gahmoh toh_ ( _fuck it_ )," he muttered. "We need to get home. C'mon Sam." With some nonsense sound of confirmation, I pulled my heavy body off the barstool and helped Art to his feet. "Janet's gonna kick my ass." For a long moment I envied Art stressing about having a loved one to fuss over him. Bob was still too weirded out for more than the standard social niceties and I was lonely. Outside, we shivered in the unexpected cold and wished we had brought coats. "C'mon Sam, you can sleep it off on the couch. There's a cab. Hey buddy!"

 

While Art flagged down the cabbie, I hugged myself and glanced around. A flicker of movement caught my eye and I was surprised to see Aster step out of the shadows. She looked a little green around the gills and I couldn't help but grin. "Little too much indulgence tonight, huh?"

 

That earned an embarrassed duck of her head and a murmured, "yeah, the hard shit always kicks my ass. Now all I need is a ride home. The others ditched out to make sure Karen got home okay. It's rare she gets that trashed and doesn't handle it well."

 

Despite the embarrassment of that earlier kiss, or maybe because of it, I grabbed her arm and hauled her along with me. "You can share with me 'n' Art, c'mon."

 

There was no way I was gonna let a teammate suffer in the cold. Overdeveloped sense of duty I guess. There was no way in hell I was ready to admit to myself that I was intrigued by the gleam in her light brown eyes. Carol allowed herself to be dragged into the cab and wedged in between our masculine bulks. Art fired me a questioning look before smiling woozily at her and offering a hand. "Pleased t'meetcha. I've seen you around, but we haven't been intra'duced. I'm Art Goldston."

 

"Carol Aster. You guys are drunk."

 

We laughed in stereo and she didn't seem to take offense at us drunkenly jostling her. Some time passed while the cab sped through the night. None of us seemed to have the energy to chat and willingly relaxed into the comfortable quiet. Little by little I was lulled into a doze that blocked out the night and the warm body pressed into my ribs…

 

"Sam?"

 

The low query jolted me awake with a groan. The soft pillow under my head stirred in time with gentle fingers in my hair. Ooops, it seemed I had fallen asleep in Carol's lap. It was very comfy there and the thought roused me almost instantly. When I jerked away, brain and body objected violently, nearly spilling me onto the floor of the cab. Where the hell was Art? Had he forgotten me?

 

"Need a hand with him?" I heard the cabbie ask.

 

"No, I got it. C'mon Carter, I can't send you back to base like this and I have no idea where you live. We both dozed off and when I woke up a few minutes ago, Goldston was gone. So I need you to get up. You'll have to sleep on my couch."

 

It took some effort, but I was eventually outside the cab with her strong hand on the back of my belt to keep me upright. Casual goodnights and monies were exchanged while I glanced around the little apartment complex. "This place's nice."

 

"Thanks, now march," she replied and the other hand grabbed the back of my shirt to steer me. This was monstrously amusing and I chuckled in delight. If I could ever get over the embarrassment of tonight, I'd have to cultivate a friendship with her. Once inside the apartment, I was sat on the couch and she glowered down at me. "Stay."

 

Carol sounded so much like Art instructing Cooper that I collapsed into hysterics, leaving her to throw up her hands and stalk out of the room. And that made me laugh even harder.

 

++ Carol ++

 

In the bathroom, I confronted my flushed reflection. Handsome, alluring, very masculine Sam Carter was drunk on my couch for heaven's sake. Could this be any more awkward? I brushed my teeth to get rid of the taste of my overindulgence and glanced around my bathroom. Good thing I had left a t-shirt and shorts on the floor, 'cause there was no way I wanted to face him in a robe right now. Not that I needed to worry about it. Sam was sound asleep, draped all over my little couch, with his snoring thankfully within the range of what I could ignore. Since the apartment was only a studio, I climbed into my bed and tried to ignore his presence so close by.

 

It was a vague sensation, the subtle shift of the mattress and faint warmth near my skin. Startled out of sleep, I flipped over to meet Sam's shadowed eyes. "Sorry," he murmured. "I'm freezing."

 

Why the hell I didn't stop him was beyond me. In a few quick moves, seventy-six inches of cold, friendly man was wrapped around me. Then I felt bad because he was actually shivering. So I pulled the blankets around us and felt Sam melt into our mingling heat. How long had it been since I had felt this? Not to mention certain other things a strong, kindly guy like this could do for me. I blushed so fiercely that Sam burrowed in even closer for the heat. One cold hand was tucked under my ribs and a strong leg thrown over mine. The soft blonde hair was tickling my temple and his breathing feathered across the underside of my chin. If he didn't back off, I was gonna take advantage of him, the truth about Sam Carter be damned. 

 

"You smell nice," Sam breathed across my throat and stirred lazily against me. Was this some kind of test for sainthood or something?

 

"Thanks," was all I could manage to squeak out.

 

"Mmm," he murmured and nuzzled in even closer. In only moments, I felt his weight settle in more heavily as he started to drift off. Once I realized he was comfy for the time being, my guard began to drop enough to let sleep creep in. 

 

I was usually bad about sleeping with someone else in my personal space. But not this time. Oh, sure, my hormones were jangling, but this was Carter… How could I not trust? That comforting darkness was close, my nose tucked into the soft blonde hair, when I felt it. Sam shifted lazily, one hand moving to mold itself around the curve of my breast. It was an instinctive response, the tightening of my sensitive flesh and the hiss that left my throat. When my nipple hardened against his palm, Sam's long fingers tightened enough to make me groan, "are you trying to kill me?"

 

Much to my astonishment and embarrassment, there was a low chuckle from my bedmate. In a single, sinuous move, that muscular body stretched against my small frame like a lazy cat. It brought his head up beside mine and I looked over to search the shadowed blue eyes. There was something there… not an invitation exactly, just a sense that I wouldn't be turned away. Dare I? Dare I take a crazy chance and show this kind soul the pleasures of being male? There had probably been few so far.

 

"Oh, the hell with it," I growled and sank one hand into the gold hair to pull him into an exploratory kiss. 

 

++ Sam ++

 

I suppose I should have expected the kiss, after all, I was the one with wandering hands. She was so soft and willing, her body heat pulling me in like gravity. In mere moments, I was intoxicated anew, but this time on the feel and taste of her. Some primitive instinct drove me to tuck her small frame under my body as though protecting her. The burn of my sudden need was wildfire under my skin. The pressure of my changed anatomy had grown almost familiar over the last few weeks, but this time I took a close look at the sensations and decided to just surrender. So far ignoring the urges had only made them more persistent and quite excruciating. Like a predator waiting for its prey to tire, the roaring, physical need of this virile body pounced on me. The uncomfortable monster in my pants awoke with a jerk and swelled painfully against the entrapping denim. Some tiny, sane corner of my brain marveled at the contrasting sensations of pleasure and pain. There was little thought of consequence as clothing was quickly stripped away, her smooth curves settling perfectly against my angular frame. Old curiosity drove me to suckle down her throat to work my way down to hard nipples. She was quietly vocal, writhing underneath my weight.

 

"C'mere," she finally growled and tugged hard at my hair. Again we kissed, and the press of our flesh around the roaring erection was too much. In moments, I had lost control of my unfamiliar reactions and flushed in embarrassment.

 

"Sorry," I groaned and buried my face in the crook of her neck. Carol laughed softly, her touch gentle on my skin.

 

"Oh, I suspect there's more to you than just the one shot, see?"

 

Indeed, my anatomy was stirring to life again, repressed hormones and curiosity driving me to act further out of character.

 

"Carol? This is insane, but I want… Do you…"

 

"Yes, now shut up and go with it, Sam."

 

There was little chance for further conversation as she awkwardly rooted around in the side table while kissing and caressing me senseless. Slowly, she kissed her way down to my flat nipples while her hands continued downward. Those gentle hands on my stiff need nearly sent me crawling out of my skin, sheathing my unfamiliar equipment in latex. I couldn't understand how guys didn't like this… her touch was exquisite. Part of me couldn't believe it would get any better, the sensations any more intense. Such denial. She wriggled around until she was where my lizard brain needed her, one hand still wrapped firmly around my hardness. 

 

"Careful," she whispered and I could barely hear her around the roar of blood in my ears… Slowly, she controlled the need of my body to have her, allowing me to slide in carefully until I was utterly stunned by her tight heat.

 

"God…." Was all I could moan into her hair and she nipped at my throat.

 

"Do it, Sam," she groaned and my body took on a life of its own. With her reactions and her voice she taught me how to make love to her properly. It was awkward at first, but she was an incredible teacher, and so the night passed…

 

++ Art ++

 

I stumbled into the house as quietly as I could, not wanting to wake up Janet or Cassandra. Of course, Cooper met me at the door. In the last few weeks, we'd come to a position of neutrality that still made my heart ache. Even as drunk as I was, I could see the disapproval in his dark eyes. "C'mon, Cooper," I slurred softly, stumbling through to the kitchen and the patio door. "One more potty break before I have to tackle those stairs."

 

I watched him run out to the big oak in the backyard to do his business and blearily noted that there was no normal sniff around the yard. It was obvious he knew I wasn't at my best, but then again, it was a frigid 0215 in the morning, and we were normally long asleep by this time. Quickly, he ran back into the house, darting past me toward his spot by Cassandra's door. Locking the back door, I turned to follow him, and ran into _ahgahpee mou_. She was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest and eyeing me speculatively. Wearing that silky, short robe I adored. A sheepish grin crept over my face. "G'morning, Janet."

 

"Do you know what time it is?"

 

"Umm…" I squinted at the microwave, but still couldn't quite make out the exact numbers. "Way too late to be any good to anyone?"

 

She snorted softly, then went to the sink and filled a glass with water before handing it to me with a piece of cheesecloth. "Drink this through the cloth," she said in that patented 'Doc Fraiser' voice. "It'll help with the hangover."

 

I took the glass, but stood there with it in my hand. Her tone of voice was disapproving, indicating that my overindulgence had been duly noted. I'd more than overindulged. The difference in my body mass and the sheer enjoyment of playing church football all afternoon had geared me up for a righteous drinking binge with our new pals. I knew she was disappointed in me. Hell, I was kind of disappointed in me. But we'd been locked up in the mountain for the better part of three weeks and it had been our first chance at fresh air and people after the change. Of course I'd overindulged. What else was I supposed to do? "I'm sorry," I whispered softly and held out the glass toward her, willing to take the hangover as punishment.

 

"No," she replied, pushing it back toward me. "Just trust me."

 

"'Kay," I murmured and did as she had instructed. I wiped off my chin as she took the glass, spun me around and pushed me toward the stairs. 

 

"Up to bed with you, mister," she said softly, hesitating just a bit on the 'mister'.

 

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at her for a long moment. "Janet, I can sleep down here on the couch, or in the spare room. I don't want…"

 

"I said, up to bed with you," she said in a firm voice, but I noticed something a little different in her dark eyes, something I hadn't seen since before I'd returned to the SGC as a man. That got me moving again.

 

"Yes, ma'am," I shot back, tossing off a sloppy salute before tackling the stairs. My little spitfire was right behind me the whole way, a hand on my lower back, helping to steady me as I made my way up to our bedroom. Standing next to the bed, I began to fumble with my clothes but paused when I felt a slender pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind. Janet pressed her forehead into the space between my shoulder blades and just stood there. After a moment, I realized she was trembling just a little bit. "This has been hard on you, hasn't it?" I asked softly and covered her hands with my own. After a long moment, I received a nod against my back in response. Thank God for my Greek genes. They let me drink well beyond normal capacities, and then metabolize a hell of a lot faster than most people ever could. Even as we stood there, I could feel the alcohol working its way out of my system. Needing to sit down, I carefully unwrapped Janet's arms from my waist, then sank down onto the bed and pulled her into my lap. After wrapping both arms around her, the half-embrace turned into a proper snuggle.

 

"I've missed you," she sighed into my chest and clung with that unexpected strength of hers.

 

My hand soothed along her narrow back and I settled my chin on the crown of her head. "I've missed you too, Janet. I'm sorry I didn't get home sooner. The boys…"

 

"It's okay," came the soft reply, but I knew there was something still bothering her by the tone of her voice. 

 

Only then did I realize just how worried she'd been about me. Worried about what I was doing, how I was holding up, where I was. And I was certain it had only gotten worse as the night bled into the wee hours of morning. I tipped up her chin to gaze into those warm chocolate eyes. "I'm sorry _ehromenee_ ( _lover_ ). I really did lose track of time. It's been so long since I've been here, that I didn't think to call."

 

She nodded, and attempted a tentative smile. "Did you have fun?"

 

A lazy grin spread across my face as I remembered some of the night's events. "I've never played football that rough, not even with my brothers. And damn, it was fun. Sam made a perfect defensive lineman with that build, because nobody could get through him. Good thing we were on the same team. I really wouldn't have wanted to face off against that aggressive brick wall. You should have seen all the women there, ogling Sam like a piece of meat."

 

Janet chuckled at that. "Are you serious?"

 

" _Theh-eh mou_ ( _my god_ ), yes. And, of course the Colonel was egging them on. I swear, Sam was so red-faced, we thought he was gonna pass out." Smiling at my lover's low laughter, I sprawled back on the bed and tugged her down beside me. It only took a few seconds for Janet to situate herself next to me, draping herself along my side. We lay there quietly for a moment; just enjoying the close contact, and I realized just how much I'd missed having her body next to mine. "Oh! And this one guy had his kid sister along, and she really had it bad for poor Sammy boy. She was home for the weekend from college and…" I couldn't finish the sentence because I was chuckling so hard.

 

"Let me guess. O'Neill was goading that poor girl on the most? Just to make Sam more embarrassed?"

 

"Oh yeah. Sam swore revenge on the Colonel at some future point when it was least expected. And of course, we can't forget the guys giving poor Danny the eye."

 

Janet leaned up on her elbow to look down at me, a protective look in her eyes. "Were those brutes trying to manhandle my petite friend?"

 

I gave her a slightly offended look. "Do you honestly think we would let those big guys bother poor, defenseless little Danny? We freaks have to stick together."

 

A dark look passed over her face. "I don't think you're a freak, Art."

 

I glanced speculatively at her. "Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

 

She shook her head slowly. "Don't get me wrong, Art. I love you as a woman, but you do make a damn sexy man."

 

I arched an eyebrow at this admission. "I here I thought I was the one who'd been drinking," I teased in a light voice, only half kidding.

 

"No, I mean it," she purred coyly, tracing one finger along my chest. "Do I have to prove it to you?" Before I could reply, she leaned over and pressed her lips to mine. There was a long moment where I debated with my discomfort before telling it to go to hell. I groaned softly when Janet flicked her tongue out to tease me unmercifully. After endless moments, she pulled back to stare down at me, her obvious need deepening her already dark eyes to almost black. "Was that proof enough?"

 

"Uhh…" I couldn't have strung two words together then if my very life depended on it.

 

++ Janet ++

 

A sort of giddy triumph spread through me that I had made Art speechless. I glanced down at him with a mischievous twinkle in my eye. "I guess it was, hmm?" I teased, running my finger down along his chest again, tracing the long torso scar and onto his t-shirt-clad stomach. He sucked in a breath as my finger slid across the belly scars, seemingly even more sensitive than I'd remembered. Perhaps the thicker muscle beneath them? I told the analytical doctor in me to go to hell for the time being, she had no place here. An impish smile spread across my face as I tugged the hem of the t-shirt from his jeans. As my teasing fingers drifted across those jagged lines, those beloved eyes turned pale with feeling. The eyes were the only thing that had not changed in any of my friends. Gently, almost hesitantly, Art's hand curled around my skull to coax me into another kiss. This time he was far more involved and I made my brain shut up about how different he felt. It was my sweet lover wearing this foreign body. If nothing could be done, this was how he would remain forever. That thought made me determined to make this a healing experience, a way to renew the bond we had forged in secrecy. 

 

When I shifted to settle my small weight onto Art's broad body, I felt a telltale bulge against my thigh. Oh my, this could be fun… There was a startled noise lost in the passionate blending of our mouths as I rubbed the flat of my hand demandingly over the sensitive scars. He jerked and moaned, the grip in my hair tightening. It was a quick maneuver to yank open the row of buttons straining over the blatant thickness of his arousal and the soft, vulnerable noise he made when my hand wrapped around his unfamiliar equipment was a memory I would cherish forever. There was a desperate, nervous need in the blue eyes when I leaned away to watch. While I'd never had a male lover, there had been a few adventurous women and they had taught me various things about my own body. Not to mention that being single most of my life had forced me to relieve my hormones in various ways. So I knew what I could handle and his was a near-perfect size. Not of frightening proportions like that brute Sam had been cursed with, and just thick enough to get my hormones percolating. Gently, I pressed soft kisses to his handsome face and began a firm stroking.

 

"Trust me," I whispered softly and Art let go with a whimper. I made an educated guess that my transformed friends had probably been too self-conscious to explore their bodies much. By the way he was thrusting awkwardly into my hand, I had obviously guessed correctly in at least this case. Very soon, there was a grunted oath in Greek and my wrist was abruptly drenched.

 

"Better?" I asked gently and kissed him. It was a soft, undemanding kiss, meant to reassure rather than beg for a second round and earned a crushing hug and a broken sob into my hair.

 

"I love you, Jan," he whispered and we lay cuddling for a long time. Then the wet spot began to chill and we burst into giggles at the same moment. "This is embarrassing," Art mused and smiled. "But it felt good."

 

My own need was sharp in my body, and this time my kiss was rough and demanding. Twisting around to straddle Art's body, I let that energy be seen in my eyes and my body language. "I have something better."

 

It was kind of unfortunate that I was wearing anything under the robe, despite that fact that the teddy and matching panties hardly qualified. I could feel the hard press of the buttons and denim against my groin before I leaned over to drop teasing kisses over the broad chest. "Jaaannnet," he groaned and threw his head back into the pillows. 

 

"Mmm," I hummed into his dusky skin. "I'm glad this scar is still so sensitive. 'Course, with a month of celibacy, so am I."

 

After giving me a moment to nip at the flat nipples, Art abruptly tossed onto my back and pinned me down. One big hand trailed demandingly over my curves while I clung to the coveted black curls. A startled and pleased squeak was muffled by our kisses when he tugged open the robe to worm under the lingerie. 

 

"Oh yes," I hissed against his mouth when two curious fingers began to map out my gathered wet. "Please Art, I want to feel you inside, please…"

 

There were wonderful things to be said about his bigger hands, but I wanted the bonding experience and perverse turn-on of his reawakening maleness. A grip on his wrist stopped the teasing fingers and I met his roiling eyes. There was so much there, both good and bad.

 

"I want you to make love to me, like this. Good old fashioned missionary style, because I need to be close to you and I want to see your face, want to feel you, only because it's you."

 

"Oh Janet," he groaned shakily and rolled away to strip out of his clothes. Trembling with anticipation, I quickly did the same. In the briefest of moments he had turned around and I welcomed him to my body. Arms and legs wrapped around this unfamiliar frame, I knew a certain peace in being with Art again. The pure visceral thrill of his thick erection was fun too. Propped on his elbows, head thrown back, Art moaned in ecstasy at the feel of my tight warmth surrounding that sensitive erection. Thankfully, we figured out what we were doing fairly quickly and I felt the orgasm rushing at me. Pinned beneath his gentle strength, I gave up any fears or inhibitions I had secretly harbored and once more became Art's soulmate. The peak crashed over me in that moment and pulled Art's climax from his inexperienced body.

 

" _Kala… oh Theh-ohs…_ ( _Good… god_ …)" He panted in my ear and I chuckled breathlessly. "No wonder guys are always so desperate. I can't even describe how incredible that felt."

 

"Mmm, I can imagine."

 

With our hormones temporarily sated, I was free to run my hands over his strong back until he rolled away. So I curled along his side and continued to explore. There was wiry hair painted in a faint line down the middle of his chest to be broken and twisted by the cruel scars. Even after repeatedly seeing the painstaking exactness of the transformations, it was still amazing. The hair grew thicker and wirier low on Art's body where his equipment lay quietly. Faint dustings of the stuff decorated arms and legs and I rubbed my cheek against the ever-present stubble on his face.

 

"You're skritchy," I giggled in true girlie fashion and earned a wry look. After a moment my laughter got me rolled onto my back again and kissed with a playful growl. This is what I had missed even more than the sex. I had missed my playful, funny lover who even now rubbed that stubble over my cheeks and throat as I laughed and laughed. Groans threaded themselves into my laughter as Art began to kiss his way down my chest. He suckled at one nipple until I was moaning in earnest. Especially when he turned his attention to the other and deliberately rasped that bristly fuzz over my hypersensitive flesh. Once I was clinging and begging, he began to work his way down and I waited with baited breath. Wet kisses were pressed to my skin, white teeth nipping lightly. Only millimeters from my navel, he paused to fire me a hot, mischievous glance from under ebony lashes. Oh, Art knew perfectly well what an exquisite hotspot this was and hovered only a hairsbreadth from my skin to blow softly. Now I was whimpering in earnest, but dared not move. I knew from past experience that this was the best kind of torture. Like the most delicate of caresses, his warm breath caressed that little hollow and the muscles around it pulled tight with the strain. After a seeming eternity, I felt the fleeting touch of his tongue, tracing idle circles where the flesh began to dimple inward. It was maddening to lie there as the caresses increased by tiny fractions and my voice begged incoherently. The room echoed with my broken cries as I felt his tongue deep in my belly button and his mouth suckling hard at the flesh around it. While I had never actually climaxed from this hot spot alone, I had come damn close. Then, abruptly, Art swooped down to repeat the rough sucking at my most sensitive spot and the world went white.

 

++ Art ++

 

It was like a second chance at heaven to make her cry out in ecstasy and buck underneath me. Despite the odd salty taste of my own orgasm, I drank at her wetness until she squeaked and tugged me up to be kissed. "Too sensitive," she murmured and we spent lazy minutes cuddling and kissing.

 

"I've really missed you," I finally whispered and she hummed in agreement. We had ended up with her sprawled loosely atop me and I was horrified by how light she was. "You've gotten too thin," I admonished and she burrowed in closer.

 

"I was worried about you. And Sam and Daniel and Jack. I didn't mean to neglect myself."

 

That was more honesty than I had been expecting and I hugged her tightly. "No more of that _ahgahpee-mou_. I'm here now and I'm here to stay. If we can deal with this, we can deal with anything, hmm?"

 

Again she hummed and drowsiness began to get the better of us both.

 

The urgent need to pee dragged me from slumber some indeterminable time later. Janet stirred and complained when I shifted her off me to vacate the bed, but a quick kiss on her tousled hair quieted her instantly. It had taken a bit of getting used to, the daily maintenance needs of this strange body. I still didn't dare pee standing up. Who knows what kind of mess I'd make… 

 

In the combined light of the bedside lamp and the bathroom light behind me, Janet was propped on one elbow and watching me with a lazy, hungry look in her eye. I had to admit that her looking at me like that did wonderful things for my soul. Not to mention my ego, and the former inconvenience between my legs.

 

"Come back to bed," she purred and patted the mattress beside her. Nearly tripping over myself, I hastened to obey and she was draped all over me in a heartbeat. It was a relief to know that her drive was the same, for Janet Fraiser had always been a demanding and satisfying lover. "Ready for some more?"

 

"Oh yes ma'am."

 

With an evil grin, she sat up to straddle me and look down at me with glittering, midnight dark eyes. There was a ripple of movement and I jumped in shocked pleasure as the soft curls protecting her secrets brushed against my sensitive scars. Both hands traced random patterns as her body drifted lower, that delectable ass brushing against the erection suddenly straining at my groin. A wicked grin signaled her pulling that wanton heat away even as she continued to stroke my belly. Hands clenched into the sheets, I watched with baited breath and rode the sensations in my body.

 

"You like that?" She purred softly as those perceptive doctor's hands outlined the thickest scar that bisected my body from sternum to groin. Earlier, I had noted that my sexual sensitivity was far stronger than I was accustomed to since the accident. Probably due to the much larger surface area. At least something good had come of this weird change. I moaned in response, my eyes flickering from her hands to her face to where her body poised teasingly above me. My hands stroked her tense thighs lightly, desperate and patient for her next move. "Hang on lover."

 

The erotic image was forever burned into my neural pathways, not to mention the feeling… Slowly, ever so slowly she lowered herself until the heat of her crotch was making my hard-on twitch impatiently. Damned if the silly thing really didn't seem to have a mind of its own. It was hard to stay focused as she brushed those curls over the glands until I could feel her wetness. Almost silent in her concentration, Janet continued to torment me with the small movements of her body. I could feel her hands flexing and relaxing where they were braced against the lower curve of my ribs. Then finally, there was a decisive twitch and press, her heat opening to engulf the reddened head of my sex. It wasn't easy to force down the urge to let go of the need inside me, but it would be worth it if she kept this up. Millimeter by teasing millimeter, she eased down and I began to tremble with the pressure. There were faint sounds escaping both of us as the pleasure mounted. At last she settled completely onto my body and I traced wondering hands up the insides of her thighs to where we were joined so intimately. There was a hiss of response as I reverently combed aside her matted curls to stare in awe. Moaning long and deep, she finally began to move, my hands still holding her open for my eyes to follow what our bodies were doing.

 

It was an amazing sight, allowing me to partially set aside the feel of her surrounding me. Slick and hot, she arched up to let my erection nearly slip free before settling back onto my body and engulfing me again in her heat. Unconsciously, I pet the pads of my thumbs along the rigid shaft of her own pleasure in perfect sync with her movements. The game continued for some unfathomable time until we could no longer hold out. Only then did I throw my head back and cry out as the dam burst and pressed down hard with both thumbs. With a hoarse shout, she joined me in paradise.

 

**The Morning After**

 

++ Sam ++

 

(5-25-99)

 

Waking up to a four-alarm hangover was never pretty. But waking up to the very tactile sensation of a lazy mouth mapping my physique? Oh yeah, this was a slice of pure heaven… and then, as Carol's soft lips sucked at the curve of my side, I realized that those fantasies had been completely and utterly…

 

"Oww!" I squeaked as she sank her teeth into the rib she'd been toying with. Pain and pleasure ripped across my nervous system, shocking me fully awake. Carol glanced up at me through dark lashes and smiled mischievously. In the morning sunlight from the window, they sparkled a delightful light brown, warm with good humor. Humming a quiet apology, she tenderly licked the sore spot and I trembled from the sensation. She stretched up to drape herself over my larger mass and kissed me lovingly.

 

"'Morning," she murmured when she finally let me up for air.

 

"Uuhh, yeah," was all my lizard brain could manage and she grinned wider. There was panicked chatter in the back of my mind as my upper brain stammered in shock over my behavior. And then Carol's small hand drifted through the curly fur all over my chest and lower body to wrap around my awakening erection. Any and all repercussions went out the window as the lizard brain won, hands down. Good God… I hadn't even realized how ready my body was. Her cool fingers trailed a random pattern over my sensitive skin as she planted a quick kiss on my chin and began to work her way down. Lazily, that hot mouth followed the trail her fingers had so recently mapped out and my breathing began to grow ragged. Lower and lower she moved until my head fell back into the pillows and my sense of touch took over. Stars roiled behind my eyelids like a ride through the Stargate as her lips wrapped around the flushed center of my changed anatomy. The gentle suction made my skin crawl in the most delicious way and I began to understand why Bob had adored my clumsy past attempts at this. A quick pang of guilt fired through me, but was quickly squelched as I felt the length of my erection slide down Carol's throat.

 

Holy Hannah! I nearly leapt clean out of my skin at the sensation. A strangled cry tore from my chest as her fingers carefully fondled my testicles. The sheets were clenched up tight in one fist, while the other tangled into Carol's silky hair. The grip seemed to spur her on to greater efforts and my body sang with pleasure. After the half-dozen odd rounds last night, alcohol or no, I knew what an impending orgasm felt like. And, oh God, this was shaping up to be a doozy…

 

Hearing her soft whimpers of delight and need piqued my natural curiosity. Carol's head bobbed up and down, that talented tongue playing a counter tune on my skin. One small hand was wrapped firmly around the base of my erection, massaging in time with her mouth's suction. Once more, sociological rules and military regulations wrestled with the physicality of our passion. I willed my fingers to release the sheet so that I could prop myself up on an elbow to watch. For a moment, I could set aside the feelings burning through my body and took a good look at my unexpected lover. Here was a strong-willed, competent woman who could have had a wide choice of partners with far less complications than me. The least I could do was set aside any preconceived notions I had of myself and return the favor. Her hips twitched to the same beat as my roaring pulse and her obvious need chased off any of my persistent inhibitions that may have been threatening.

 

"Carol," I growled hoarsely, then tugged lightly at her hair. Those hazel eyes were as glazed over as I'm sure mine were. "Swing around," I coaxed. "I want to taste you..."

 

For a long moment, we stared at each other as though finally realizing exactly what the hell we were doing. Then I pinched her lower lip lightly and smiled to reassure us both. This was a once in a lifetime experience and we couldn't pass it up. She smiled back tremulously before shifting to eagerly straddle my head and picked up where she left off. For a long moment, I ran curious fingers through the glaze of her arousal and relished the similarities and differences. She moaned loudly, hips rocking into me, the pull around my cock growing stronger. So I let the lizard brain loose and wrapped both arms around her hips before running my curious tongue through her wetness. She was warm and musky and soft, her lean body pressing against me in a frantic attempt at more contact. Curiously, I explored the dips and swells of her swollen sex, searching for her release. Then suddenly mine was on me, the pressure like water against a dam, desperate to find a way out. And again she swallowed me whole to accept the shattering climax that ripped me apart. 

 

There must have been some absence of time, because when I opened my eyes, Carol was draped over me with her head tucked into my neck.

 

"'Morning indeed," I groaned and sprawled loosely across her big bed. A soft chuckle was the only response as she snuggled down even closer to my chest while I rested. Then I felt the small tremors echoing through her. They weren't aftershocks, but the precursors to the earthquake that had been withheld by my own release. So I ran a caressing hand down her back to the curve of her cute backside and before she could do more than squeak in response, had her impaled on two strong fingers. Seems the discrepancies in height were working to my advantage now. A quick change in positions had her straddling my wrist, straining into my probing fingers. "C'mon baby," I whispered, enthralled by the look on her face. The climax rushed over her as she threw her head back and cried out softly to the ceiling. Those strong contractions rippled around my hand and set my own hormones aflame… again. "Wow," I marveled as she crumpled into my chest, leaving my arm trapped between us.

 

"Wow indeed."

 

"Um… Carol?"

 

"Mmm?"

 

"Thanks for having me over."

 

Our laughter probably saved our sanity. It also gave me an opportunity to scramble from the bed and retreat into the bathroom. Staring at my reflection, I took note of the flush on my cheeks and the fact that my eyes were dilated. She had really gotten to me, and it wasn't only a physical reaction. Her gentle kindness and versatile lovemaking had made me feel wonderful. "You still wear your damn feelings on your sleeve," I muttered at my reflection before turning away.

 

By the time I wandered back into the main room, Carol was again sprawled boneless among the tangled bedding. Warm sunlight painted her golden and rosy as she stirred lazily and cracked open one eye. There didn't seem to be much to say and I dragged my dirty clothes back on. The feel of those hazel eyes on me made my hands shake, but eventually I was covered and slightly more settled. I knew I should walk out and leave all this behind me… but I just couldn't. Carol had done me a world of good and deserved better than that. Pleased surprise shaded her gaze as I sat on the bed and ran my fingers through her brown hair. It was a gentle, chaste kiss we shared there in the sunlight.

 

"Thank you," I murmured softly against her mouth and she smiled. It hurt to see that the expression was more than a little sad. Braced on my elbows, I allowed her to toy with my hair and trace my features one last time.

 

"I'm gonna miss you," she whispered in a suspiciously husky tone and gave me a quick kiss before pushing me away. "The phone's in the kitchen. Go on."

 

In the doorway of the little kitchen, I paused to fire her one last glance. She had curled up in a tight ball with her back to me.

 

"Me too," I whispered and forced myself to walk away.


	8. More Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some big changes occur, drastically altering Art and Janet's relationship. Sam discovers that there's nothing she cannot ask of her best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: R again.
> 
> Pairings: We're back to Art and Janet bonding.

++ Daniel ++

 

(6-10-99)

 

In the end we decided to go back in the hopes that the process could be reversed. It was a decision based on educated guesses and a desperate hope. We four could survive like this, but we'd be lost in that limbo of identity and separated from all that knew us before the change. We could never again see our families or those that knew us outside of the SGC. In fifty-one days the change had grown only slightly easier and we had agreed that we had to take the chance. In all honesty, I think it bothered Art and I far less than Sam and Jack. But poor Cooper was still weird around his changed Handler and it was heartbreaking to watch. So we stood in the Gateroom dressed in only fatigues and sneakers. Sam was shifting anxiously from foot to foot, his pale eyes on Makepeace standing nearby. Art was talking quietly with Janet while Jack just stood stiffly and scowled. Of all the ridiculous things, I was desperately hoping to be changed back because I was so damn sick of looking up at everybody. How did Janet stand it? When Hammond strode in with Teal'c, we all jumped and gave him our attention.

 

"I'm still uncomfortable with this," he stated unnecessarily and for once Jack kept her mouth shut. "But you have a go people. Good luck."

 

It was obvious that Art wanted to do more than just hand Cooper's leash to Janet. But protocol won out and our mournful pal joined us at the base of the ramp.

 

"If you have not returned in seventy-two hours," Teal'c swore solemnly. "I will come for you." His dark eyes flickered to Cooper, vibrating with tension at Janet's feet. "We will come for you."

 

So with so much left unspoken between so many of us, we stepped through the Gate.

 

# And So the Story Goes On

 

The place still felt cold and empty as I regained consciousness. Then I opened my eyes to stare up at an unfamiliar tangle of machinery hovering over my head. For an endless moment I lay there in the cool air and did a quick mental inventory. A quick pat down my blissfully familiar body earned a sigh of relief. It had worked. Then I looked around to see Art's curvy frame sprawled on my left and I was shocked to see the vicious scars even with my bad vision. Rolling my head over, I spotted Sam's far slimmer body on my right. Beyond her was the blur that I knew must be Jack. Resisting the urge to take another curious peek at the women, I padded over to Jack's side and shook him roughly. "Jack. Jack, get up."

 

There was a low groan and his dark brows drew into a frown. "Daniel?" 

 

"Yeah. It worked."

 

He did the same thing I had, feeling down his chest and belly to reassure himself, but my eyes refused to drop any lower than that. When he opened his eyes, he automatically searched out Art and Sam, mostly hidden by my vulnerable body. "Guess this means we're outta luck for clothes, huh?" He questioned sardonically and sat up. "Are they okay? Did you check?"

 

"Um, no. A little self-conscious I guess."

 

"Fair enough. You check Carter, I'll get Goldston."

 

"Um, okay." 

 

Sam's breathing was slow and even when I leaned over her to test that automatic function. A quick, embarrassed glance was reasonably reassuring that everything looked like it was where it should be. I knew this was going to make me red-faced for months after this. Nearby Art groaned into wakefulness and made a startled sound.

 

"Relax Sarge," Jack soothed calmly. "Seems the locals made off with our duds, so we'll have to deal. How do you feel?"

 

"Decent actually. This is better than the first time."

 

"Yeah, I noticed that too."

 

Abruptly, the blue eyes so close to mine snapped open, accompanied by a deep breath.

 

"Hi Sam," I stammered awkwardly and leaned out of her personal space.

 

"Guess it worked, huh? Dammit, I'd forgotten about the 'finding us naked' part of Teal'c's story," she groused and sat up gingerly. "God, I feel so light."

 

We were all disoriented and embarrassed and the stagnant cold of the place wasn't helping any. So we did as best we could and tried to be professional despite our nakedness. Few clues were revealed by the room housing the equipment that had wreaked such havoc with our bodies. There was also nothing left that would cover us. Anything organic or flimsy enough to double as clothing had long ago rotted to dust. I distractedly noted that any personal effects seemed to have gone with the original inhabitants. My observations helped to keep my attention away from the embarrassment and cold.

 

++ Art ++

 

"So the inhabitants just up and left," I responded quietly to Daniel's muttering and hefted the two broken chunks of pipe I had found. "This isn't much of a weapon, but it'll have to do. Colonel? Here."

 

The second length of pipe was slid across the dusty floor and O'Neill picked it up without looking back. He couldn't have been any more comfortable out in front. Sure, he couldn't see us, but we were all getting a better look at his scarred frame than we'd ever expected too. While we soldiers poked around the room, Daniel continued to decipher bits and pieces of the writings on the equipment. After a few minutes, I saw his head snap up in surprise before he leaned in to squint at the etchings again.

 

"Oh for Pete's sake," he muttered and rested his head against the metal for a long moment. "This was a recreation facility of all things! Of all the damn places we had to stumble into…" Clearly irritated at his discovery, Daniel came over to join us. "I guess that the sex change was some kind of perverse thrill for whoever built this place."

 

"Charming," Jack muttered and I grumbled in agreement. When he moved out into the hall, Sam habitually fell into step behind him and I grabbed Daniel's shoulder to send him after her. 

 

I was shaking with fatigue by the time O'Neill found a place that was even vaguely suitable for a nap. It was a room full of sand and the now-familiar ambient lighting that seemed to come from nowhere. By the withered stalks poking up, this must have been a garden of sorts. There was no sensation of time passing here, no way to know if it was night or day, or how much time had passed since stepping through the Stargate. Sam was visibly trembling with the stagnant chill and the rest of us weren't much better. Being the smallest in mass, she had lost the most heat. 

 

"Okay people," O'Neill said quietly. "We need to pile up to try and get a little warm. Danny, Carter, you've been volunteered to take the middle. Goldston, you face the door, you look more alert than I feel right now."

 

It was an uncharacteristic admission of weakness from the man, but I had noticed that he seemed to be favoring one knee. An old injury perhaps? If so, the cold was definitely irritating it. So I flopped down to the cool sand and felt Sam huddle up against my back, her clasped hands between my shoulder blades. In seconds I knew she was asleep, her reserves low from fighting the cold. O'Neill grumbled something and Daniel whimpered back softly. Darkness closed in.

 

++ Sam ++

 

(6-17-99)

 

I was delirious… I had to be. There was no way that I could still be moving, could still be alive while this numb. Something poked me in the back and reminded me that, yes, I was indeed still alive. "Keep moving Sam," Art whispered thickly and her pipe prodded me again. Then O'Neill stepped around a corner and froze. It was the Stargate. Relief flooded through me with a welcome surge of adrenaline that cleared away the cobwebs. Daniel leapt at the DHD and began pressing keys.

 

"I can't remember the last time I was so damn glad to go home," I muttered and saw Art nod beside me. When I glanced up at O'Neill, I felt my guts twist over the weird look on his face.

 

"How do we tell them it's us?"

 

Only then did we realize that we had no way to tell the SGC to open the iris…

 

Art found the chunks of debris piled around the edges of the room. Some were pieces of the wall, some were empty storage containers and incomprehensible personal effects. We all stared at the collected pile and then shared frightened glances.

 

"It might not work," O'Neill rationalized quietly and Daniel huffed in irritation.

 

"It's got to be better than freezing to death here."

 

Nodding in agreement, O'Neill fastened those intense eyes on Art and I to gauge our opinion. I had no energy to speak, I didn't even know how I was staying upright, but Art had something to say. "Any ideas for our coming-home theme music?"

 

"I've got one," O'Neill smiled and we acted immediately as Daniel pressed the center crystal on the DHD and the Stargate roared to life.

 

++ Karen Taylor ++

 

While I didn't particularly care for the periodic guard duty shifts at the base of the ramp, I knew we all had to pull our own weight. At the moment we were all in the staging room, lounging around in full gear. If there was an unannounced wormhole, we could be at the Gate in mere seconds. Across from me, Lieutenant Daemon tried to hide the world's worst poker face and I smirked inwardly. At this rate he'd have no junk food markers left in the game. While he sweated and fretted, I spared a moment for SG1. We all hoped they would come back in one piece and back to their old selves. It had been disheartening to see them so disoriented by the remarkable transformation they had been subjected to. Not to mention, my lizard brain reminded me, Sam was a hell of a lot more fun to ogle as a woman.

 

"Raise you ten, Taylor," Daemon ventured gamely and threw in his chips. 

 

"Brave move," I drawled and tried to stall him. I had squat and I knew it. Maybe for once in his life the boy had actually seen through a bluff. I was saved from finding out when the loudspeaker suddenly blasted out its familiar warning.

 

"Security to the Gateroom!"

 

In a controlled chaos, all twelve members of the guard group scrambled for our rifles and ran across the hall into the Gateroom. The iris spiraled shut as we took defensive positions and the wait began. A long moment passed and I heard a sound that made my blood run cold. 

 

Something impacted into the iris.

 

## THUMP

 

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP

 

THUMP

 

THUMP

 

A shocked silence fell over the SGC as we all stared at the Gate. What the hell was that? Then it sounded again, a thud, then four quick ones followed by two more with a beat between. Then it hit me and shouted up at the Control Room, "sir! It has to be SG1! Only Colonel O'Neill would use 'Shave and a Haircut'!"

 

Hammond nodded in relief and the iris swirled open. Not an instant too soon, as four bodies piled out, curled protectively around themselves. For a stunned instant no one moved before I registered the wracking shudders threatening to tear them apart.

 

"Did… didn't th, think… you'd know what… we were… trying to tell… you," O'Neill gasped and stuttered, finally shocking me into reacting.

 

"Move people!" I shouted and they all scrambled to obey. To make that painfully frigid ride stark naked… My body shuddered in sympathy as I dropped the rifle and pounded up the ramp. Adrenaline loaned me the strength to rip the buttons clean off my fatigue shirt and shrug it off. As the others rushed up behind me, I wrapped the nearest body in the shirt as best I could and swept her up into my arms to prevent her getting trampled. "Get the medical teams in here! Stat!"

 

Desperate for warmth, Sam, for I abruptly realized it was her, burrowed into me and wrapped her arms around my neck to cling with unexpected strength. For a moment I had hardly recognized her willowy, female frame in contrast to the male version of her. I was inwardly thrilled at the embrace and tamped the reaction down roughly. 

 

"It's okay," I soothed as I did my damnest to keep her away from the jostling of the other soldiers. "You're home now. The Doc'll be here any second now." There was a jerky nod against my throat as the crash teams rushed in. They only had two gurneys and I quickly reassured Fraiser. "I've got Carter, get the others."

 

"Get her in a blanket and go to the Infirmary."

 

"Yes ma'am."

 

One of the orderlies tossed a blanket over both of us and tucked it around Sam. That was my cue to obey the Doc and head for the Infirmary. In the long pause of the elevator ride, it finally registered what had happened. A very naked SG1 had come charging through the Gate and I had somehow ended up with cute Sam Carter wrapped around me. Sure, it was for purely puritanical reasons, but still… It was like having a fantasy almost fulfilled.

 

"Thanks," she whispered softly against my neck and her death grip loosened slightly.

 

"My pleasure, Sam. The rest of your team is right behind me."

 

By the time we made it to the Infirmary, the shock of the cold was changing into the body's natural urge to slip into a healing sleep. So I followed Betty's instructions and lay Sam on a waiting gurney, but she wouldn't release me. When one of the nurses tried to help, Sam made an objecting noise and clung even tighter to my neck. I waved the younger officer off to attend her duties. "She's not hurting anything. If you can do your job with me in your way, I'll stay put until she sleeps."

 

Random medical jargon was tossed about, but all I could make out was that Sam was showing signs of prolonged exposure capped off with that brutal freeze, courtesy of the Stargates. When the other three were carted in, the diagnosis was the same. It was controlled chaos as Fraiser directed the maelstrom like an angry drill sergeant. I watched her, admiring her skill and authority while Sam's grip loosened little by little. Then I saw it through a break in the mess. It was the Doc again, leaning over a barely conscious Goldston, stroking the dark woman's forehead. It wasn't the gesture that floored me, but the shaken adoration written on the small woman's face for that lingering moment.

 

Oh my… the Doc and Goldston?

 

Now that I had seen it, the idea didn't shock me as much as I thought it would. Oh, I had pinned the K9 as part of the big rainbow family the day I had met her in the locker room. But, the Doc? Would wonders never cease…

 

At long last, Sam's grip was loose enough for me to straighten up with a groan. That was not a comfortable position to be in for an extended period of time. She was sound asleep, hair disheveled and cheeks flushed. She had always had that air of childish enthusiasm that was adorable, but now she looked downright young and vulnerable. So, without thinking, I brushed her bangs away from her brows and she stirred lightly to press into my hand. There was something endearing about Sam Carter, something that had won the adoration of far stronger than I. What would it be like, to have the affection of this brainy wildcat? Suddenly self-conscious, I stepped away and listened to her make a small objecting noise. It would be far too easy to read more into this than was appropriate and I needed to get away. 

 

++ Art ++

 

Even before I opened my eyes, I knew I was finally home. The feel and smell and sounds of the Infirmary washed over me, curling my mouth into a faint smile. Seconds later, there was a whine and a familiar nose poked me in the shoulder. "Hi Cooper," I whispered and tried to move my arm, only to find it restrained by the snug bedding. Heavy blankets that radiated their own heat were tucked around me so tightly that I was thankful I didn't suffer from claustrophobia. The bed lurched when Cooper reared up to hesitantly kiss my face. I hardly knew him anymore; we had grown so distant these past five weeks. One hand finally worked its way loose to pet him and I knew what I had to do.

 

I had to retire him.

 

This latest incident had been so hard on all of us. Cooper had been through too much and deserved a quiet, civilian life.

 

"As soon as I can, buddy," I whispered to him with a voice rough with stress and repressed tears. He just licked away the lingering moisture and pressed his furry neck to my face. It was a wonderful comfort and my heart ached with love for this amazing animal. An eternity passed with his soft fur cushioning my face, my arm draped weakly around his neck. 

 

"He-ey," Janet said softly from the doorway and we both looked over. That one glance made my throat ache with a whole different emotions. Those gorgeous eyes were warm and intent with feeling as she came over to place a hand on each of us. Those familiar fingers on my forehead made me close my eyes and bask under her touch. "Welcome home."

 

++ Janet ++

 

That single phrase seemed so inadequate, so trite. I had missed her so dreadfully and was desperate to hold her and whisper to her of the bond between us, to take away her pain if I could. But all I could do was sift through the inky curls and feel her press into my hand. The repressed tears broke my heart as Art struggled for control. "I'm really glad to see you," I whispered and something that almost looked like a faint smile curved her lips.

 

"Me too. How are the others?"

 

"Drifting in and out of consciousness, but intact and back to their familiar shapes. How are you doing?"

 

Again those soulful eyes fluttered open and the lump in my throat threatened to strangle me. How I despised not being able to take her in my arms and hold her.

 

"Confused," Art confessed. "And my feet are burning."

 

"That's actually a good sign. Fortunately, there's no permanent damage. Give yourself a few days and you'll be back to normal."

 

"Sergeant Goldston," Teal'c's voice interrupted our exchange from the doorway. I was equal parts relieved and annoyed with his timing. He moved to stand next to the bed with a distinctly pleased cast to his stony features. "You have awoken."

 

" _Yasoo_ ( _hi_ ) Teal'c. Thank you for watching over us."

 

Art had correctly assumed that Teal'c had not left the Infirmary since their return. In fact, it had been the big man who had carried her naked body in from the Gateroom.

 

"You are welcome. What troubles you?"

 

Great waves of sadness welled up in Art's eyes and I grabbed a hand to try and soothe her. I stood that way, one hand on her head and the other clutching her hand to my chest, for a very long time. Teal'c rested a hand on her knee and we waited patiently for the storm to pass.

 

"I have to retire him," was finally choked out only just loudly enough for us to hear. I was shocked when I realized that she meant Cooper. He was whining softly and his tail swung back and forth in his desperation to make her feel better. The stormy blue eyes finally peered out from Cooper's ruff and my heart seized up even more.

 

"Why?" I asked calmly, gently, reassuringly and prayed it was the right thing to say. Swallowing some of her misery, Art stroked Cooper's head lovingly, looking at him with such adoration that I almost felt jealous. 

 

"He's been through too much. I'll need to make some phone calls Janet, as soon as I'm able."

 

"Of course," I replied woodenly, suddenly feeling shut out and hating myself for the emotion. It wasn't fair to either of them. "Would you like Cassandra and I to take him?"

 

I didn't know where the question came from, but it had definitely been my voice asking. The gall I had! This was her partner for God's sake, not some common house pet that needed adopting!

 

A strong grip on my forearm stopped the internal tirade. The grateful look in her eyes nearly made me swallow my own tongue.

 

"Would you?" Art asked with tremulous hope. "Would both of you? _The-eh mou_ Janet, you'd be helping save my sanity…"

 

And in those moments where that hopeful desperation shone in her eyes, I didn't care about the security cameras, or Teal'c or anything else for that matter. All I could do was to lay a gentle finger on her lips and smile with all the love in my heart. "Yes. We'd be honored."

 

After Art finally fell into an easy sleep, I desperately needed a few minutes to regroup. Betty must have seen my look, because in mere moments there was a lull in the action and her head nod sent me into retreat. The quiet of my office was bliss and I sank down into my squeaky chair and sprawled back to study the ceiling. What a day, week, month it had been. Then I realized what day it was and nearly threw out my back scrambling to check the calendar.

 

"Oh God… Darya…"

 

++Darya++

 

Perhaps I should have kept the girls around today of all days, but had sent them off with Cassie's pals and a couple of trusted adults. The irony of this day also being Cassie's birthday barely registered. Not that she understood the sadness clinging to me, but her strong hug had brightened me a bit.

 

I had been lost all day in a daze that was paralyzing. A year didn't really mean anything except for a banal passage of time that our ancestors had decided the rules for. Nothing more than the endless passage of days, broken down by the phases of the moon and our blue planet's passage around the sun.

 

Except, that one year ago… one year ago my heart had died in my chest. 

 

Like a movie played out again and again, I could remember every moment of that passage of hours that had rewritten the landscape of my life. The butter-soft nightgown she loved so much, the solemn knock on the door, the look on the faces of the officers in black on my doorstep…

 

But the most lingering sensation was the jolt that had raced through me that evening. Long before the officers of the peace had arrived with the horrible news, I had known. In that lingering transition between day and night, my sensitive perceptions had felt the accident thrum down our bond like snapping piano strings. 

 

A flash of terror and the briefest snap of pain.

 

Then there was a dark, blank emptiness that froze me from the inside out. The psychic backlash of Emma's death in the pretty little coupe we had bought together before the baby. For what felt like an eternity, I waited there in the living room, breathless… motionless. There was a part of me that screamed for my perceptions to be wrong, desperate for her to walk in the door and make this a horrible nightmare. Then… that solemn knock and the mournful faces of the uniformed police. The woman had been a veteran; she had done just this kind of thing before. There was still pain in the formality of telling the survivor of a loved one's death, but she had done it all before. But the young man at her side had not, and the agony on his fresh face had very nearly cracked out her own pain. 

 

It wasn't the news that did it; it wasn't the gentle questions from the police or the distasteful bigotry in their supervisor. It wasn't the sight of the broken beast of our little car, with its assailant still embedded like a dagger into its side. It wasn't the blood spattered on both car and motorcycle, though I came close. It was hearing the wise policewoman call the babysitter who was guarding over our daughter this night. 

 

Only then did I crack and break, the agony pouring from me in a flood of biblical proportions. The officer had stayed with me until familiar arms had gathered me close and helped me bear the tearing agony of loss. Legs… good ole' Legs. For whatever differences we might bear in our views on life, women and our mutual profession, she was endlessly, stubbornly, wonderfully loyal to those she truly loved. This woman better than anyone else in the world knew what Emma meant to me, and she was my rock in those darkest of days. 

 

It had probably been her that had been calling irregularly all day. Legs and X and Janet and Emma's friends in San Francisco that too mourned her passing. Not that I had picked up the phone even once. Then a noise broke into my thoughts. A noise that took an eternity to register. A long shaft of sunlight broke through the evening-dim room and those fading shafts of brightness were poignant to me.

 

Not a sound, except for the familiar patter of high-heeled feet. Not a word, just the ragged breath of the rushed and hurting. Not a casual touch of a stranger trying lamely to console. Just a warm, familiar weight in my lap and deceptively strong arms tight around my head, my shoulders. Only then could I no longer hold back the old, sharp pain, escaping like a flood into the crisp uniform I had given up for my love.

 

"Never alone, Dare. Remember that. You're never alone."

 

And only that would keep me sane.

 

++ Jack ++

 

(6-19-99)

 

After only two days in the Infirmary, the Doc had let us out. I fled for home, desperately needing to relearn my surroundings and get some equilibrium back. The only orders she had given us, aside from the obligatory 'take-it-easy', was to be at her place that night to see Art off to Texas. I was gonna miss those two, but Carter was gonna miss them even worse. We had also missed Cassie's birthday, which had been the day we'd returned from that damn dead world that had transformed us. It still amazed me to see the changes that had happened to my second in command during the course of her friendship with Art. Even more amazing, they seemed to be all good ones. Sam was more settled, more sure of herself, wittier and less prone to the 'deer-in-the-headlights' reaction. All from the friendship of that young woman. It was going to be hard to say goodbye, even if it was only temporary…

 

As I pulled up to Janet's place in the late afternoon sunshine, I contemplated the gifts resting on top of my towel. I hoped Art's wouldn't be too sentimental. No one would let me live it down.

 

++ Art ++

 

"What is it?" I asked curiously and Jack shrugged self-consciously.

 

"Just something I wanted you to have," he said quietly and I grinned warmly before returning my attention to the package.

 

"You didn't need to get me anything Jack. I'll be back before you know it."

 

"Doubt it," he said evenly and I could barely see the faint smile he hit behind his beer bottle. Working with him on side projects had gained me valuable insights into the man. It was information I knew would come in handy someday.

 

"All that crap Cassie got wasn't enough chaos for the day?"

 

Indeed, the extended adopted family of the teen had gone a bit crazy in trying to make up for missing her birthday. Sure, we'd been laid up in the Infirmary, but we still felt bad. And the weeks before that had been hard on her, barely able to reconcile our changed appearances. So Cassie had been given all the trappings, cake and streamers and mounds of gifts, as well as any of her friends we could get a hold of on short notice. The backyard was a bit of a warzone, but at least the giggly teens were beginning to calm down finally. Ah, I didn't miss being fourteen…

 

Shaking off the memories of that last happy year before my family had been so brutally torn apart, I returned my attention to the gift Jack had handed me. The colorful paper tore away to reveal a white box that was carefully taped shut.

 

"You're gonna make me work for this, huh?" I teased and chuckles ran around the group as I took out my pocketknife to cut the tape. Once that was done, I opened the box to dump the contents out onto my hand. The moment I saw the pages flutter stiffly, I knew it was no ordinary book. On the blue cover was stamped the word 'memories', and inside, were just those. Even in the dim light from the kitchen, I could see the beautiful collection the man had made me. There was that silly picture that Daniel had taken only weeks after my arrival at the SGC of Sam and I side by side in mocking bodybuilder poses, showing off our slender muscles. Cooper sat at our feet with that long-suffering expression he's so good at. There was a photo of Janet glancing up from a file with that wry grin that had melted many a heart, including mine. I couldn't imagine when the picture was taken, but there was a shot of Sam looking up at Karen with Mac and I standing nearby, grinning. Since we were all in full gear with the wall of the Gate Room behind us, I wracked my brain for a time that all three of our teams had been together and came up blank. There was Jack and I sparring in our boxing gear, SG1 mugging just outside the Gateroom. The collection was magnificent and everyone gathered around to comment on them. My throat closed up over a shot of Teal'c kneeling in front of a seated Cooper, one big hand on my partner's calm head. There was Siler, Sam and myself pouring over Sam's beloved motorcycle, General Hammond glancing up from his desk with a faint smile, Sam and Jacob with their arms wrapped around one another, the list went on and on. When I reached the end, I stood to grab Jack in a suffocating hug and whisper, "thank you." 

 

It was quite late by the time the rest of SG1 left and I was left alone. Cassandra and her friends had long since gone to bed and Janet had vanished a little while ago. I was at a loss of what to do about our upcoming separation. I had only come home a few hours before the others had come over. There had been no chance to discuss it and my plane left in less than seven hours. Staring in melancholy contemplation at my half-empty beer, I wondered what was going through her head. 

 

"Art?"

 

Almost startled by her sweetly familiar voice, I jumped and turned to her. Small and sad, Janet gazed at me with dark eyes that glittered with pain. In an instant, she was in my arms and we clung together in the dimness.

 

"I love you, Janet," I whispered harshly, brittle with the pain inside me. How I would miss her with a desperate ache that scared me.

 

"I love you too," she sniffled against my throat before raising her head. There were tracks of tears on her cheeks and I felt my throat close up with the effort of keeping my own at bay. "I never expected to care about you the way I've come to. Come to the bedroom and let me hold you."

 

"Anything."

 

That night was unlike anything I had experienced before. There was a depth of feeling between us as we talked quietly, made sweet, passionate love and let our tears mingle. In the pre-morning darkness, I felt my heart ache as I at last left her warmth to shower and dress. Cleaned and pressed and ready to go, I leaned over her one last time and shared a kiss that was our love made flesh. There were no more words, the goodbyes done, the pain sequestered away so that life could move on. At last, I drew away from her breath and pressed my fingers to her soft lips for a long moment. Then I solemnly collected Cooper and walked out of the house to await Sam at the curb.

 

(6-20-99)

 

Cooper quietly sat with his head on my shoulder when I plopped down onto the curb to curl myself in to a tight ball. My big rucksack rested in the gutter as the morning grew ripe around us. I rubbed his fur blindly, knowing how desperately I would miss his steady presence at my side. But I knew I was doing the right thing, even if I hated it. At last a flashing pair of headlights slowed near me and I raised my head. There had been no tears this morning, but I had yet to let Sam go. The lanky woman climbed from the Jeep and knelt beside my boots. One hand rested on my knee, the other soothed Cooper's ears. "You gonna be okay?"

 

"I dunno, Sam. This is taking so much out of me."

 

That hand on my knee was extended as Sam stood up in the glare of the headlights and looked down at me. "Then let me help you," she offered quietly and I took her hand. For a long minute, I fell into her strong embrace and let myself fall apart once more.

 

"I think I'm going to miss you almost more than Janet," I confessed quietly and she squeezed me a final time before loosening the embrace. Sam's expression was soft and wry when I met her eyes.

 

"Oh, I doubt it," she chuckled and we both laughed, a relieved and bittersweet sound. The drive to the airport was a quiet one. The hug at the terminal was long and intense. Sam looked surprised and warmed when I impulsively pressed a kiss to her cheek before pulling away and letting her hug Cooper before tucking him into his crate. After seeing him safely in the care of the airport employees, I forced myself to walk away and not turn around to see her sad blue eyes…

 

### So Much More Than Just A Pet

 

++ Cassandra ++

 

(7-14-99)

 

I was so excited that I could barely sit still. The plane had already landed and we were just waiting for the porters to bring the crate. It had been three weeks since Art had left and the house felt echoingly empty without her and Cooper. Then I heard the familiar whine and nearly threw myself over the airport counter. "Cooper!"

 

Instantly, the whining grew frenzied and I saw the big dog crate rock on the cart. The guy pushing it glared, but I ignored him. The moment the crate cleared the counter, I knelt down to push my fingers through the grate in the front. 

 

"Hi, boy," I crooned and Cooper urgently licked my fingers. "I've really missed you. Ready to go home?"

 

Mom was smiling softly, but I could see the bittersweet feelings in the expression. While she was happy to have Cooper back, what she really wanted was Art. Unfortunately, that was another four and a half weeks away. Once outside the terminal, I popped the zip tie on the crate door and yanked it open. Instantly, Cooper was out and licking my face. Barking in short, sharp tones, like he was trying not to do it and was just too excited, he pressed against me as though looking for reassurance. I knew he'd been through a tough deprogramming at Lackland Air Force base so that he could be a civilian dog, so I hugged him hard and reassured him. He probably missed Art too. Mom knelt down to be fussed over as well and Cooper rapidly calmed into the dog we remembered and loved.

 

"Okay troops," she said and straightened up. "Time to go home. C'mon."

 

Slowly, but surely, our family was coming back together.

 

# Tentative Foothold

 

++ Sam++

 

(7-27-99)

 

I just… believed him.

 

There was no proof except for the conviction in his fathomless dark eyes. Still bleary from the drugs Janet's evil twin Skippy had injected me with; I crept through the base on Teal'c's heels. Somehow they were replacing the personnel of the SGC. All I could hope is that somewhere my companions were merely out of commission and not… Swallowing down the panic and fear that was worsened by how bleary I was from the drugs, I tried desperately to focus. 

 

In the Security Room, I witnessed two of the ugly aliens step through the Stargate to talk with Daniel and Jack and Hammond. When none of the men even reacted to the aliens, it was proof enough to force me to break the rules and run for help. When the alarm klaxons went off, the memory of what those aliens were doing were enough to force me to leave Teal'c behind to protect my escape…

 

After climbing hundreds and hundreds of ladder rungs to the surface of the Cheyenne facility, I stood with muscles trembling in the dark forest. There was no way to tell how far those aliens had infiltrated and with the ability to exactly duplicate personnel… The danger was very real and left me feeling at loose ends. Suddenly, I wished Cooper and Art was there with a fierce ache. So quickly I had grown accustomed to their presence in my life. Every day I missed them with an almost physical pain. My recent horrific experiences with the Goa'uld Sokar and Bynar, then Jolinar's memories being forcibly reawakened and finding Apophis alive had shaken me badly. I had not spoken to Art since returning from that hell, terrified to relive it once again. It had been a very long five weeks without her around.

 

Then something occurred to me.

 

Would she come to me?

 

Would that steady packmate of mine come running if I howled my fear and distress?

 

Yes.

 

I had to believe the answer was yes, for I feared I wouldn't be strong enough to do this on my own.

 

++Art++

 

"Wai… wait Sam… slow down."

 

She was babbling over the phone like a madwoman and every protective instinct in my body rose to the occasion. Aliens had taken over the SGC by impersonating the staff and only she had made it out to warn us. 

 

"Sam!" My shout finally slowed her down and I could hear her panting anxiously on the other end of the line. "Where are you? Okay, I'll find a way to get to you, I promise. Maybe you need to get someone else involved in this, though. Good. Tomorrow, 1600 hours, the little café outside NID headquarters in DC. Got it, I'll be there. Yes, Sam, I swear, I'll be there. Now be careful and take care of yourself."

 

Reluctantly, I set the phone in its cradle, well aware that I was severing my only connection to her. It was horribly painful and I stared blankly at the device for a long moment.

 

"You okay, Goldston?"

 

The question caught me off guard and I turned to face my classmate. Burt Anston had been a terrific pal, warm and funny and gregarious. But what I really liked about him was the titanium strength of character that showed in his every action. This was a solid man of integrity, I'd stake my life on it. Right this moment that could be a good thing or a bad thing. In order to get to Sam, I needed to get off Lackland Air Force Base and off to Washington DC in less than seven hours. If I told anybody where I was going, they would require a reason. Which meant calling the SGC via NORAD and alerting them that someone knew what was going on. That meant sneaking away and praying that the mess could get straightened up sometime in the future. Did I trust Sam enough to go AWOL for her? Of course I did. But how did I do it? "Hey Burt? I need your help…"

 

# Off Into the Wild Blue Yonder

 

(7-28-99)

 

It was a surprisingly lovely day in DC, cool and breezy with a hint of the sea. Burt and I stood on a railing outside the café and scanned for Sam. There was a conglomeration of suits and tourists populating the obviously popular spot as I searched for the familiar head of gold hair. Lucky and Grover were tired from the mad flight across country where they had been forced to make the journey in hastily supplied animal crates. I had been truly stunned when Burt had solemnly offered to go with me. "Art, you've got more integrity than just about anyone I know. I trust you, and if you say this is a matter of national security, than I believe you. No one should go into something like this alone."

 

Honestly, I wasn't certain I could have gotten off the base without him. As worried as I was, I wasn't paying enough attention and he smoothly fast talked the guards at the gate into letting us out without the proper paperwork. A quick civilian plane trip later and we were at our goal. Suddenly, I spotted Sam making her way across the café and gestured. "Burt, there she is. That's Carter."

 

"She looks wiped out," he mused thoughtfully and I was forced to agree. Exhaustion and stress pulled heavily on her lean frame and she looked like she hadn't slept in two days. "Can you get close enough to get her attention without calling attention to yourself?"

 

"Yeah. Take Lucky." Kneeling down, I stroked the delicate head of the new dog in my life. She was so different from Cooper it was like night and day. She eyed me trustingly and gave me a tiny kiss on the chin. "Be a good girl. I'll be close by." 

 

"I got your six," Burt reassured me and took Lucky's leash. With a quick pat to Grover's head, I slipped down to the plaza of 'The Old Bailiff' to help my teammate. Several things happened all at once as I drew within a few tables of her the man in formal blues with Colonel's birds on his epaulets. Jack and Daniel walked up to the table and Sam leapt up from her chair as though hit by an electric charge. For a long moment she had her back to me and the two men stood there calmly and eyed her from behind dark glasses. There was something wrong with their body language but I couldn't put my finger on it. Abruptly, Sam whirled around to lean menacingly over the table and shout at the strange Colonel. "Maybourne, you are idiot every day of the week! Why couldn't you have taken just one day off!"

 

Okay, that was out of character. A bad feeling crept up my spine as I realized that I may have indeed listened to the rantings of a woman who wasn't herself. While I stood in paralyzed indecision, Jack picked up Sam's chair and they all sat around the table again. The attention the outburst had garnered gradually turned back into the buzz of the afternoon crowd. Sam was running her fingers through her hair and generally acting like a skittish animal. Warily, I moved into a better vantage point, waiting for someone to recognize me. It never happened. The men talked Sam down and I could see the indecision on her face. Then she reluctantly stood with them to move off and I knew I had to act. If nothing else, I had gone AWOL to come to her and would need their help not to get seriously shafted by my superiors at the K9 academy.

 

"Well this has turned into quite the social call," I said just loud enough to be heard by all of them and Sam whirled around.

 

"Art," she sobbed in relief and grabbed me in a suffocating hug. Shocked by the intensity of the gesture, I wrapped my arms around her trembling body and stroked her hair.

 

" _Themou,_ I've missed you, Sam. Rough couple a days, huh?"

 

The only reply was a hoarse noise that sounded suspiciously like repressed tears. "I've really missed you Art," she whispered into my neck only loud enough for me to hear. "And I'm so confused."

 

"That's why I came," I soothed and looked over at O'Neill. "Good to see you sir. How have you been?"

 

There was no response for a moment as the black glasses faced my general direction. It was nerve-wracking to not be able to see his eyes. What if Sam was correct and that was an alien standing not four feet away? "Overworked. You on vacation?"

 

"Yeah, I had a few days of leave and decided to come to Sam when I heard how upset she was."

 

"Good, you can come back to base with us to get all of this straightened out."

 

"Of course sir. How you doin' Danny?"

 

A long beat passed before Daniel reacted and my animal brain bristled further in panic. Something was subtly wrong and I couldn't shake the feeling. "Fine. We were just worried about Sam."

 

When Sam leaned away, there was a suspicious glassiness to her eyes that had made her eyelashes damp. So I tucked her under one arm and followed Jack and Daniel. "I'm really sorry about this," she apologized softly and I grinned.

 

"That's okay, you can just help me explain why I took off so suddenly. Let's take care of one problem at a time, okay?"

 

"Okay. Hey, where's Lucky?"

 

I had been waiting for someone to notice I was alone and it bothered me that it hadn't been one of the men. The need for reassuring proof of their identity was growing stronger by the moment. Did I involve the dogs and Burt? Could I put them all in potential danger? The two dogs might be invaluable in figuring out this mess and I craned my neck around until I spotted Burt. At my 'come' gesture, Lucky yanked at him to obey and I knew they were on their way. Sam was still shaking lightly and I tightened my grip around her neck until it was a headlock. Stooped over, face pressed into my chest, Sam seemed oddly reassured by the rough treatment. It earned no response from the guys, but Colonel Maybourne did step up to eye me speculatively. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Colonel Harry Maybourne."

 

It was a left-handed salute, but I wasn't about to give up my grip on Sam. "Sergeant Artemis Goldston, sir." At that moment Burt and the dogs trotted up and I gestured at them once Maybourne had returned my salute. "This is Lieutenant Burt Anston and our partners, Lucky and Grover." 

 

Burt saluted and fired me a pointed look. "Everything okay?" I shrugged and gave him my best sober gaze. That let him know that I wasn't entirely certain and to keep a close eye out on the situation. Both Shepherds shied away from the strange men and whined uncertainly, Grover going so far as to growl at my teammates. With Lucky in one hand and Sam in the other, I felt more reassured and followed the men of SG1 into the unknown. 

 

There was little time to talk as we were all whisked off to a private airstrip where a 737 waited patiently. It was there that I got a moment to speak with Burt in the masking noise of the hanger. "I know this sounds crazy, but those two may not be what they seem."

 

"Okay," he acknowledged dubiously. "But what else would they be? Aren't they part of that team you mentioned?"

 

"Yes. That's why I'm wigged out. They're not acting quite right. You notice the dogs are edgy?"

 

"Yeah, but they've never been off Lackland before."

 

"True."

 

Sam had been standing uncertainly beside O'Neill and fired me a desperate look. We went to her, both of us smiling in reassurance. "Hey Sam, I didn't get a chance to introduce you to Lucky. Isn't she a cutie?"

 

"She's beautiful," Sam agreed and crouched to offer a hand to my new partner. Warily, Lucky sniffed the offering and instantly recognized the scent of the tall blonde. It looked as though my foresight to borrow a couple of unwashed articles of clothing of Sam's and Janet's had paid off. So Sam pet and fussed over my pretty little pup and they both calmed further with the interaction. She was a tiny dog compared to Cooper, only twenty-four inches in the shoulder and barely weighing sixty pounds. She was also more aloof, but was incredibly intuitive and a wonderful judge of character. So her continued intent watching of Jack and Daniel worried me further. 

 

Inside the plane, I sat beside Sam while Jack and Daniel explained their version of events. Burt asked intelligent questions that were answered calmly, but I still couldn't shake that feeling of wrongness. Then I saw it, the disturbing flicker of a humanoid figure that was far from human, abruptly superimposed in O'Neill's place that lasted a few seconds. Sam moved before I could, lifting the piece in the small of Maybourne's back and leaping to her feet to threaten Jack. Only a beat later, I was on my own feet, gun in hand and unsure of what I should do. Then Jack lunged at Sam and she calmly pulled the trigger. Two bullets plowed him back into his seat with a spray of thick purple liquid. The façade of Jack O'Neill faded away to reveal the crustacean-looking alien that we had spotted so briefly. Both dogs burst out into hysterical barking that brought out another officer from the cockpit. When I saw the raised pistol, mine came up in response. When he made that inhuman, shrieking wail, I pulled the trigger. Poor Burt looked stunned as his gaze swung between the two alien corpses.

 

"Burt, pal," I said soberly. "I hope you didn't have any future plans that can't include being sworn to the highest levels of national and worldwide security."

 

After a stunned moment, he blinked and flashed me a shaky grin. "There goes my acting career."

 

Daniel played stupid until Sam revealed the circle of alien technology on his breastbone. When she yanked it off, sure enough, he was one too. This time Maybourne shot him in the shoulder when he lunged and barked, "sit down!"

 

When Sam balked at checking the pilot, I did it myself. Poor guy looked quite startled when I came in to cover him with the pistol. Not to mention yanking the top button of his uniform shirt open to check for the disk. There was nothing, and I gave him a quick apology before returning to my superiors. Maybourne and Sam were arguing over what to do and something about a sound frequency that had disrupted the holograms briefly. It took another half-hour for Sam's agile mind to decipher the frequency and get it on tape. Only then did I grab her by the lapels of her jacket.

 

"You need to take a nap," I stated firmly and cut her off when she tried to object. "No. You're ready to drop from exhaustion and aren't going to do anyone any good in this condition."

 

After a glowering pause, she nodded and let me lead her over to the couch we had been sitting on earlier. Burt and Maybourne had dragged the corpses to the back of the plane earlier, but there was still a pastel stain on the upholstery. Upset by the reminder, I sat beside Sam and patted my leg. I had meant the gesture for Lucky and was pleasantly surprised when Sam wearily collapsed and dropped her head onto my lap. Lucky tucked her head under Sam's chin and sighed happily when the woman wrapped an arm around her furry neck. Gently, I combed my fingers through the soft gold strands and without thinking, began to sing softly. In moments, she grew limp as sleep claimed her at last.

 

++Sam++

 

The sound of the plane's engines straining to land woke me from a soothing sleep to feel a gentle hand on my head. Despite the circumstances, I had slept better than I had in a long time. I felt breathing on my face and a wet tongue dabbed my chin lightly. It made me smile and open my eyes to see Lucky eying me brightly.

 

"He-ey," Art soothed lightly as I yawned and stretched slightly. It was still amusing that she had picked up that two-syllable greeting from Janet. A grin flashed across the face of Lieutenant Anston and I realized that I hadn't been introduced to him. It was mildly embarrassing to be so vulnerable in front of this junior officer. Oh well, I was too comfy at the moment to give it much thought.

 

"Thanks," I murmured and patted her knee before sitting up gingerly. I still needed a full night's sleep, but was able to function with a clear head again. Still a little hazy from my nap, I reached over to run curious fingers over Art's cheek. "Look at how dark you've gotten. It looks good on you."

 

Indeed, she was cocoa brown and it made her eyes look far paler than normal. The contrast with my light skin was striking. "All that healthy Texas sunshine," Art drawled and flashed white teeth. Would I ever admit to myself that there was… something here? No one seemed to be able to affect me the way she did. We stared into one another's eyes for longer than was probably prudent. It made me jerk away and Art calmly introduced me to Anston. He was average height, with brown hair and eyes and somewhat nondescript. Good humor and intelligence radiated off him and he had a killer smile. He quickly reassured me that Maybourne had sworn him to secrecy with Art and the pilot as witnesses.

 

"Good," I welcomed him warmly. "Welcome aboard."

 

"Thank you Major. Hey, Art and I figured out a great trick while you were sleeping. Check it out." When Burt pressed the disk we had pulled off the Daniel-alien to his sternum, the familiar visage of my teammate solidified around him. When he spoke again, it was Daniel's voice. "The hologram works for anyone who wears it, even the dogs are pretty well fooled. This one and the one Major Davis was wearing still work. So you have a way to move around among them."

 

"Great work. We can get back into the base the same way I came out, through the emergency shafts to the surface. But what about the dogs?"

 

Now Art jumped in, her hands on Lucky's ears. "I'm going with you, Sam. Lucky will have to stay with Burt until they come in with Maybourne's forces."

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Sam. I didn't come this far to let you go back in there alone."

 

In the end, that was exactly what happened. With me disguised as Daniel and Art as Davis, we slipped back into the SGC and began looking for our people. The look on Jack's face when we found him was priceless. It must have been odd to see Daniel acting like me. The real Davis stayed in the room where our co-workers were suspended from the ceiling like so many alien piñatas. While Jack went to find Teal'c, I ran for my lab and Art headed for the Control Room. A pitched battle and several dozen exploding aliens later, the SGC was once again in our hands. Colonel Maybourne's forces helped us gently pull down our woozy co-workers and get everyone debriefed. I was relieved to find Bob sitting on the floor of the room with a confused look on his face, but he lit up when he saw me. "Sam."

 

"Hi. How do you feel?"

 

"Confused, but I hear you're the hero of the day."

 

I flushed and tried to duck out of it. "I had help."

 

Bob just stroked my cheek fondly and chuckled. When Janet came around in Art's arms, I couldn't understand why no one knew about them. She lit up like a kid on Christmas and threw her arms around Art's neck to cling to her secret lover. It was a long hug that everyone studiously ignored, and Maybourne and his cronies thankfully didn't see. 

 

The briefing went by in a blur, my mental autopilot doing all the work. Janet calmly explained that the last thing she remembered was SG6 returning. Major Davis had been called in from the Pentagon by General Hammond with no explanation. It was a pleasant surprise when Maybourne gave me credit for the success of the rescue, an involuntary smile creeping across my face. There had been just enough time for a quick shower and a change of clothes before the briefing and someone, Daniel by the looks of it, had managed to scare up fatigues for Anston. The two K9 units came to attention as Maybourne left and Hammond turned his attention on them. "And Sergeant Goldston, how exactly did you get involved in this?"

 

Poor Art looked like she was trying not to squirm anxiously under her rigid stance. "I came because Major Carter requested my presence, sir."

 

"That's it?"

 

"Yes sir."

 

"You went AWOL on your current posting, convinced another soldier to go with you and dragged two half-trained military dogs halfway across the country on nothing but Carter's word?"

 

Since he phrased it that way… even I was starting to feel a little guilty. Art wilted for a moment before straightening up with a sharp, proud glare. "Yes sir. There was no other choice in my mind sir."

 

For a long beat Hammond continued to glare back and we collectively held our breath. Then he smiled in that fatherly way of his and relented. "Loyal, Sergeant, but stupid. We'll discuss this later. Now sit down."

 

There would be some repercussions from this, I could almost visualize the black marks on our records, but we would survive it. After all, we'd saved the world… again. 

 

++Janet++

 

(8-1-99)

 

She was home! Giddily, I went about the business of once again ensuring the functions of the SGC. But inwardly I wanted to dance and skip in joy. How desperately I had missed my kind lover, how incredible it had been to feel her once again in my arms. It had been so hard to keep from staring at her while we debriefed and cleaned up and went about our respective duties. But soon… soon I would show her exactly how much I had missed her…

 

Tired, but satisfied that things could be handed off to my staff, I relaxed for a long moment in my office to gather myself. Five weeks ago Art had left for Texas. Even after only a couple of days with her back, Sam already looked a hundred times better. It was a good bet that I was practically glowing…

 

"He-ey," that sweetly familiar voice called softly from the doorway and I thrilled at the sound. She had grown so dark, her skin almost as inky as her hair in the shadows. "Can I bum a ride home?"

 

I could only nod, my emotions too close to the surface. She gathered up my briefcase, our fingers brushing together and I nearly threw her up against the wall to kiss her senseless. By the pale burn in her eye, it was entirely a mutual temptation. So we headed for the surface, barely aware of our co-workers, friends and the bustle of the base around us. In the car we did not touch, did not speak, hardly dared look at each other during the trip home. Behind me was Lucky, the beautiful little Shepherd that had been following Art around like a discrete shadow. I knew they were both watching me, bright eyes following the movements of my hands on the wheel. At the house, I took a deep breath and finally met Art's eyes fully. Even in the darkness, I could feel their power over me.

 

"If I touch you," Art rasped hoarsely. "I won't stop. Come inside and let me say hello to the others."

 

"Yes," was all I could manage in return.

 

Cooper was whining eagerly as we approached the front door. It was hard to tell who pounced on Art with more affection, the dog or Cassandra. With a squeal of delight, my daughter joined her new pet in knocking Art onto the grass to welcome her home. Laughing in delight, Art hugged and kissed them both. The two Shepherds touched noses, tails wagging gently and I realized that they already knew one another. Starjumper raced out to join the fray and growled in alarm at Lucky. She was wholly unimpressed and we humans quickly reassured him. Once inside, Cass and Art chatted happily while we had a quick dinner the evening wound down. In time the house grew quiet except for my puttering in the kitchen. Then the press of my lover's arms, the length of her strong body suddenly against me, made me moan and drop the sponge I had been cleaning with.

 

"Oh, my love," Art whispered fiercely, nipping lightly at my neck, hands firm and knowing on my belly and breasts. "How I've missed you…"

 

Both hands came up to sink into the curly hair, leaving me blissfully vulnerable and needy in her hands. " _Ahgahpee mou_ …" I whispered her familiar endearment. "Welcome home."

 

Our kiss was gentle, a thousand emotions and experiences wrapped up in the soft blending of our mouths. How this simple gesture moved me, the feel and taste of her lips and tongue on and inside me. My blood heated, my need for her like a living thing, so I turned in her arms to devour her. Those hands curled into the strong muscles of my backside, lifted me with raw power to be crushed to her body, held aloft by her. Wrapped around her, I drank in her kisses and learned her body anew. Dimly, I was aware that she had carried me upstairs, while never breaking the connection of our bodies. There, on my recently-oh-so-lonely bed, she stripped me of clothing and pretenses and together we traveled to the stars. Happy tears and swollen lips mingling, we cuddled in the afterglow and I felt her smile. Only then was the overwhelming reality of her return calmed enough to let me look at her closely. The color of dark, bronzy wood, her skin color was intoxicating.

 

"I had no idea you would get so dark," I admired and traced a high cheekbone. "It's beautiful on you."

 

"I missed the sunshine," she chuckled and kissed my caressing hand lingeringly. The contrast of my own pale bronze skin against her face awoke my hunger anew. So I traced her face, the lines of muscle and tendon in her throat, the bones under her skin. Hissing softly, she pressed her weight down into me as I traced her hard nipples and that long scar I had dreamed of incessantly of for weeks now… "Oh Janet," she moaned softly, pressing butterfly kisses to my smiling face and willingly allowing me to pleasure her. I always loved the challenge of her slow responses, loved that she trusted me enough to take her to that vulnerable place. A quick twisting of our bodies had her sprawled on her back where I could run my needy tongue over her sensitive scars and listen to her moan. Salty and butter-sweet, I tasted her skin and sweat, relished her hands in my tousled hair. There would be darker marks on her skin later, where I had nipped and suckled too hard, wanting her to know me again. There was no objection, just a stronger grip and the low sounds of her arousal. Once nestled in the haven of her spread thighs, I teased through her rainforest damp and listened for the approaching storm. There would be lightning, and thunder, and torrents, floods, tsunamis…. "Let me taste you," she groaned harshly, tugging me only hard enough to break through the haze of our mutual need. Fire raced through me, threatened to burn out my synapses, had me moving before my brain knew it was saying an eager yes…

 

With that magical touch on my own wet, I was in heaven. We tortured and teased, coaxed the floodwaters to the edge of the dam and let them recede only enough to coax them back yet again. Her once-damaged body surrendered first, crying out with uncharacteristic abandon into my own quivering flesh. Delightfully shocked by the sensation, I too let the dam break free, crashing over me with a force that would have made Noah cringe. Strong hands stroked me lovingly and that clever tongue ever-so-gently suckled away the traces of my climax. Aftershocks trembled through me as I remained sprawled across her body and enjoyed her deep heat. Somehow we found the strength to rearrange ourselves, to find my favorite spot, draped along her side, tucked under her chin, listening to her heart.

 

"I love you, Jan," Art whispered and I kissed the strong bone protecting that organ of life.

 

" _Sahgapoh,_ Art." We lay quietly for a long while until a memory surfaced and I smiled. "And happy belated birthday. I have a gift for you."

 

A throaty chuckle made my heart and hormones sing anew. "Your wonderful welcome home wasn't enough?"

 

Amusement glittered in the ocean-dark eyes when I propped myself up on both elbows to peer at her. 

 

"Little things would remind me of you," I murmured softly. It came out more wistfully than I'd intended, our separation still too raw in my mind. The kiss she reassured me with was gentle and loving.

 

"I'm so glad I'm home again, in your arms."

 

More decadent moments of cuddling passed before I pointed at the big, brightly colored bag on the dresser. "Go get it, sexy."

 

Grinning like a kid, Art leapt up from the bed to pad naked across the room and retrieve her prize. " _Themou_! It's heavy. This is quite the haul," she chuckled delightedly and flopped back down beside me. I sat up to prop my chin on her shoulder and watch her expressions as the treasures were unveiled. Each package inside the bag was torn open and admired, her face growing ever more animated and her kisses more lingering. A soft sweater of stormy gray and blue, the extravagant silk jimmies and matching robe, the color such an intense blue that her eyes took on a whole new hue. Socks decorated with cartoon dogs, a toy car that made her laugh over 'her new wheels'. The favorite, the one that made her eyes glassy and her face soft, was the exquisite figurine of a handsome German Sheppard that reminded me of Cooper. It was exactly the reaction I'd hoped for when I'd seen it, this unguarded tenderness. " _Efharistoh_ ( _thank you_ ) _ahgapee mou,_ " Art murmured and kissed me slow and long. I willingly allowed myself to be pressed flat, her body arching over me, her kisses warming my heart and soul. A third time this night, she claimed me as hers, darkness dancing in the corners of my eyes…

 

Exhausted and utterly sated for the time being, I lay sprawled half under Art's larger body and relaxed.

 

"There was a couple of places I found," Art murmured softly and continued to stroke my hair. "That I'd like to take you to someday. A horse ranch and this weird little museum in a place called Brushfire if you can believe that."

 

"Sounds like you got bored."

 

"Lonely, my love. Merely lonely."

 

Quiet settled. Peace, healing quiet. And together we slept contentedly.

 

**Alone No More**

 

"So," Art yawned and I smiled. "Would you like to meet the new girl in my life?"

 

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" I teased back and let her tug me into a good morning kiss. After long moments, she rose up on both elbows and smiled winningly. "Lucky," she called out and there was a rustling at the bedroom door. After a moment, the door opened and Lucky dropped back onto all fours to push the door closed with her head. "Good girl," Art crooned lovingly and the dog came over to the bed to sit and wag her tail. Tugging my small frame onto her chest, Art held out a hand to her partner. Lucky was lighter in color than Cooper, and far smaller. She was delicate and alert, with a tapered head and bright eyes. After a long moment of Art's hand on her ears, Lucky reached out to sniff at my hair, her breath surprisingly clean. After a moment, she dabbed at my skin with the tiniest of canine kisses and I stroked her neck with one hand.

 

"She's beautiful," I murmured sincerely and Art kissed my crown. "But how does she seem to know me?"

 

"I took a pair of your panties with me to teach her your scent," Art murmured quietly and I raised my head to see her loving smile. "And to make me feel better." I kissed her long and hard for a moment, the image of my lingerie somehow comforting her making me unexpectedly hot. "And one of Sam's black shirts from work. I sewed them into little cloth bags and made certain they were around Lucky all the time. So she's known you, in a way, as long as she's known me."

 

It made perfect sense in ways I was only just beginning to understand from living with these talented dogs. With Lucky's extraordinary sense of smell, a pair of my underwear was an excellent idea. It also embarrassed and aroused me. As though she knew we were done for the time being, Lucky moved away to sniff about the room and I could turn my attention back to our Handler. "So," I purred softly. "You took a pair of my underwear to comfort you?"

 

Eyes growing light with heat, Art began to caress my skin and press butterfly kisses to my face. "Oh yes, _ahgahpee mou._ I missed you so bad, your smiles, your laughter, your kindness and, yes, your delicious little body." Giggling, we clung closer and our interaction grew heated. "They smelled like you, all hot and aroused and made me remember what they looked like, tight up against your hips, outlining every delectable curve…"


	9. Urgo's Urgings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Urgo pressuring them unmercifully, things begin to get silly. There's a new doctor in town and Janet's seeing green… There's another new doctor in town and Art's seeing green!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: R. We're back to Art and Janet bonding.
> 
> Pairings: Just my main girlie couple.

++Janet++

 

(8-7-99)

 

The members of SG1 sat around the Infirmary, minus Sam, waiting for her exam to be finished. Art was burrowing her hands through Lucky's fine ruff, obviously feeling the need for reassurance, both for herself and for the dog. How I wanted to hug them both… I had hit it off with Lucky right off, fascinated by her delicate stature and sharp perceptions of the world around her. Shaking off the memories of the lovemaking that had proceeded and followed my introduction to the new dog in my life, I tried to fight off the aroused flush and concentrate on the new puzzle SG1 had brought me. How had they managed to just…  lose fifteen hours?

 

The staccato click of heels caught my attention and in walked a tall blonde bombshell in familiar blue Air Force formals. Even from across the Infirmary, I recognized the shape of the medical corps pinned to her jacket and a start of shock rippled down my body. What the hell were new medical personnel doing here without my input? Golden hair only half a shade darker than Sam's was pulled back into a perfect French twist and azure eyes swept around the room. She had a large rucksack slung over one shoulder, soft-sided briefcase over the other, obviously intending to stick around for awhile. The aloof expression abruptly melted into a blinding smile when her gaze fell on Art and my heart clutched painfully with… jealousy? Lucky jumped to her feet and started wagging her tail and whining excitedly, which got Art's attention.

 

"Jo!" My lover cried, leaping up to pounce on the taller woman with an uncharacteristic girlie squeal. The strange woman was forced to take a step back as both bags were jerked off her shoulders to send her rank bars pinging across the room. Jack ducked one double silver bar and the other skidded to a halt at my feet.

 

"Damn Goldilocks! Down girl! It's only been a week since you bailed out of Lackland," she chided fondly, holding Art at arm's length and returning the huge, child-like grin. "Good Handler," she crooned, mocking the tone Art used to reward her dogs.

 

"Ha-ha-ha," Art mocked, but willingly leaned into the woman's fingers skritching against her scalp. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Why, I'm wounded Artemis. You recommended me to General Hammond, remember? Oh, sure, I've been drafted in a little early because of Lucky's involvement in this time-loss problem, but you did say you'd need a vet for your new squad, right? And who better than me? I've been pretty much been running the vet corps at Lackland too damn long anyway." She glanced around the Infirmary, a critically practiced eye taking in every square inch of my domain. When that penetrating gaze landed on me, I almost flinched away. Almost. There was something hypnotic about her pale blue eyes, so close in shade to Sam's, and it made for a gaze like a hawk. "So, you must be the famous Dr. Fraiser," she said warmly and flashed me that dazzling smile. The words could have sounded mocking, but they were friendly, even a bit flirtatious. 

 

I stared at her for a long moment, arms crossed over my chest as I returned her steady gaze. Beside her, Art looked at me oddly. What did this woman know? That small, knowing smirk on her face concerned me, if only for my and Art's safety in the program. Finally I answered her in a cool voice, "that would be me." I could see SG1's confused looks aimed in my direction, even Sam emerging from the exam room.

 

"Captain Jolynne Regan ma'am. I've heard wonderful things about you," She replied, saluting smartly before holding her hand out toward me. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." An indulgent grin at Art made my lover duck her head self consciously and I almost smiled. "I've heard so much about the people Art has been working with that I feel like I already know all of you. I'm looking forward to tackling all sorts of interesting challenges here."

 

Only then did the silver marker on her lapel really register. There was a 'V' etched atop the familiar caduceus. She was a veterinarian. Of course…this was Jo, Art's pal from the K9 academy. I smiled weakly with the realization that this gorgeous, friendly woman probably knew quite a lot about me. Her grip was warm and firm when I finally took her hand. "Pleased to meet you Captain Regan, let me bring you up to date with what we've learned so far…"

 

++Darya++

 

1"Well, Doctor Farazell, your security clearance checks have come back approved."

 

"They have, have they? Then that means…" I nearly purred in eager anticipation, but hid the urge under my well-rehearsed professional mask.

 

"General Hammond will make sure you're properly briefed on your new position, Doctor. I've assured him that you'll treat his people with the utmost of respect and professionalism. I trust you'll be able to uphold that?"

 

I stared at him and bit back a chuckle at how serious Kyle Mackenzie actually was. I mean really, the man had been working with me for years now. Oh sure, most of that was over the phone or Internet, but he understood how I worked. "Of course I will. I admit, it's been a few years since I was last working in a military facility, but I'm sure I can get back into the swing of things," I replied easily, and then paused for a moment. "I assume I'll be answering directly to the CMO, just as I've been answering here to the Chief of Staff?"

 

He nodded, shuffling through the papers on his desk. "Yes, General Hammond said he would inform Captain Fraiser of your arrival. Now, your first order of business will be to deal with SG1."

 

My eyes narrowed at him. "I'm not certain I like how you said that." I commented flatly and he actually cracked a brief smile. "Is there something I should know?"

 

"Oh, trust me Darya, you'll thoroughly enjoy working with them." The sarcasm was both uncharacteristic and amusing. "Good luck with that crazy bunch of accident-prone mavericks. I'm leaving the project because I'm burned out. I'm a well-trained, competent man, but the level of sheer weirdness in this project is just too much. They need someone younger and more adaptable."

 

I stared at him, dumbfounded. What in the Goddess's name had I gotten myself into? After being retired from the military for four years now, was I ready to deal with soldiers again? But I desperately wanted to know more about the Stargate Project. The information given to me to counsel Cassandra had merely whet my appetite to know more.

 

"When do I start?"

 

He closed the file before handing it to me. "Your briefing is tomorrow with General Hammond and Captain Fraiser. Good luck and Godspeed, Darya. You'll need it."

 

**Doctor, Doctor, Give Me A Clue…**

 

++Janet++

 

I stared at the group of them and tried to keep my aching heart out of my eyes. It was hard enough to deal with the professional humiliation of missing something in their physicals, but it was worse to have no idea how to remove these bits of technology and make them whole again. Then there was Lucky. It was weird enough to need another specialist to work on what I considered one of my patients. Not that I had anything against Captain Regan… not really. She was incredibly competent at what she did, both as a veterinarian and as a biologist/geneticist. In fact, I was rapidly becoming very pleased that Art had recommended her. It would be extremely handy to have the extra brainpower geared toward biology, something Sam just didn't have. But did she have to be so good looking? So damned easy around people? Even Sam was instantly smitten with her humor and easy charm. The men were positively fawning… And the easy camaraderie between her and Art… I was seeing green with jealousy.

 

I was shaken out of my musings as Captain Regan stepped into the Infirmary with an odd look on her face. Before any questions could be asked, Lucky whimpered plaintively and Regan immediately went over to her. "What's wrong girl?" 

 

Regan's voice was low and soothing as she petted the obviously ailing dog. Before Art could comment, Lucky started huffing and promptly threw up the contents of her stomach all over Regan's lap.

 

"Well, I guess that answers your question," I smirked in disgust.

 

The blonde chuckled and shrugged her shoulders at me, gently petting the still-whimpering dog. "All in a day's work for me doctor. At least this is generally identifiable…" Her words trailed off as she studied the contents of her lap and she archly glanced over at Art, who had moved to crouch next to Lucky. "You let her eat this much crap? I thought you were a better Handler than that Goldston!"

 

"No! That's not it!" Art cried, her voice tense and cracking with stress. "You don't understand Jo. I wasn't thinking straight. I couldn't stop myself, much less her. I didn't even notice it when she'd wandered off without me." Her jaw suddenly snapped shut as she realized what she'd just admitted. " _Gahmohtoh!_ ( _fuck!_ )" She growled and raked her fingers through her curls harshly enough to pull black strands loose, and Lucky whimpered again.

 

"Hey, relax. I know you wouldn't deliberately harm one of your dogs."

 

"So, Doc, what do the pictures say?" O'Neill asked, trying to shift the attention of the room. Shaking herself out, Regan handed me the large manila folders that she had tucked under an arm and accepted a towel that Betty held out. Remembering where I was and what was going on, I reached up to yank down one of the current x-rays on the lightboard and handed it to her. 

 

"Thank you Captain," I said graciously and she flashed me a smile before finishing mopping off the mess as best as she could. I pointed to the original sheets of film showing each of SG1's brains. "The scans have a certain percentage of error. Basically it looks like an errant pixel."

 

"But it's in the exact same place on each of the scans," Sam mused.

 

"Right. So I had to run a comparative analysis on the computer to be sure. It's in the exact same spot on each of your brains, including Lucky's," I added after quickly eyeballing the film Regan had taken of the dog. "But we're talking about something smaller than the head of a pin."

 

"Barely big enough to show up on an x-ray," Jolynne added absently.

 

"Right, which is why I also needed to run an electron resonance scan," I added and paused as I saw the sheet of film that had been pulled from the envelope. Shaking off my shock, I tucked the sheet into the lightboard so that we could all stare. The object looked like a mottled metallic sphere with wires jutting in all directions. "This is also magnified several thousand times."

 

"That thing's in all of us?" Daniel asked queasily.

 

"I'm afraid so," I whispered and we could all only stare for the moment.

 

" _Theeh mou_ ," Art murmured, glancing up at the lightboard as she and Regan finished cleaning up the mess. "It looks like a Pokéball." Her words made all of us laugh reluctantly through our stress, remembering her and Cassandra's odd fixation on the cheesy cartoon series.

 

Eventually, we all recovered from our initial shock and Regan vanished for a few minutes to return in fatigues. She lightly sassed Jack and bantered with Art and Sam and made friends with Daniel and Teal'c. My jealousy was so overpowering that I could barely see straight and the others were starting to notice that I was acting out of character. It took some effort, but I managed to swallow the worst of it. I was acting unfairly to the new girl and I knew it.

 

"Regan?" Blue eyes curious, she came over and I tipped my head back to hold that icy gaze. "I hate to cut out in the middle of this, but I need to go retrieve another specialist to help. Can you keep an eye on things here? Garibaldi can assist you with anything you need in the Infirmary."

 

"Yes ma'am," she smiled warmly and I relaxed. "You can count on me."

 

If Art liked and trusted her, than the least I could do was give her a chance to earn the same from me. So far she was doing a great job.

 

++Darya++ 

 

I glanced up at the soft rap on the patio door, smiling as I saw Cassandra and Janet standing there in the late afternoon. Waving them in, I turned back to my daughter and handed her the cup she was reaching for. "Cassie's here sweetie," I told her and saw her face light up with recognition at the name. It amazed me that the girls had bonded so closely after only a few meetings.

 

"Hi, Emily!" Cassandra chuckled, moving to kneel next to the high chair, grinning at the squeal of delighted laughter issuing from my twenty-three-month-old daughter. Instantly, the baby's arms stretched out toward the teen. 

 

"Hi Cassa! Look, o'meal!"

 

"Mmm, yummy, but I think it's a little late in the day for me to enjoy that. C'mere while our moms get ready."

 

"Kay!"

 

I watched as Cassandra gathered up Emily's food-spattered body and headed for the bathroom. Glancing up, I met Janet's warm eyes. I couldn't miss the smirk playing about her lips as she pointedly tapped at the front of her spotless semi-formal blouse. Curious, I followed her gaze to the front of my own shirt…and grimaced at the chocolate milk stain.

 

"Great," I muttered and headed back toward my bedroom to change. I knew Janet followed me, and her chuckle proved me right. "You just shut up, Fraiser," I mock-growled, stripping out of the shirt and jacket as I stepped into the bedroom. A quick glance in my closet reminded me I'd have to completely change the ash gray skirt and blazer, since I had no more white shirts that were clean. Without concern for Janet's presence, I stripped down to my underthings and eyed my wardrobe.

 

"Damn, Dare, you're actually wearing underwear now? I remember you saying something about them being too restricting…" Her lightly teasing tone did wonders for my mounting nerves.

 

Pulling the pins from my French twist, I bent over to shake out my hair. "Thought it might make a better impression on the General than going commando," I shot back. "Besides, I only did that during my residency days." The flush that colored her cheeks made me chuckle. "And no, Squirt, I won't let you forget that." We had been lovers what seemed like a lifetime ago. Neither of us had been strong enough to completely accept that we were attracted to women and our experimenting had been very safe and closeted. Then Janet had freaked about the military possibly finding out and our relationship had shattered right down to its foundations. It had taken a lot of hard work from Legs, X and especially Em to get us to be friends again. I smirked at Janet, so very glad that we had all made the effort. There were few people I was as comfortable and relaxed around. Smiling, I reached into the closet to pull out an electric blue blouse with a tasteful black skirt and blazer. My fingers deftly tamed my long locks into a French braid, the tail of which rested just below my shoulder blades. I felt Janet watching me as I pulled on the clothes. "What?"

 

"You do realize you're going to stick out like a sore thumb in that."

 

"And after almost twenty years, you should know me well enough to know I don't care." Slipping my feet into black pumps, I turned to look at Janet. "So do I pass inspection?"

 

I watched Janet appraise me with a critical eye. "Properly conservative," she finally said and suddenly grinned wickedly. "Even if it's all a lie."

 

"Ha ha, Squirt."

 

After sticking out her tongue at me, Janet was back to business. "You'll probably end up toning it down some though. This might be a little dressy for the base."

 

"Well, it'll do for today," I replied with glance at the clock. "I have no desire to be late for my first briefing."

 

"Oh wait," she said, then reached into her purse and handed me a badge. "It's temporary, just until you get proper ID."

 

After clipping the badge to my lapel, we headed downstairs to find our daughters in the living room, rocking in Emily's favorite chair and watching 'The Lion King.' I leaned over to brush my lips across Emily's forehead, then smiled at both of them. "You be a good girl for Cassie."

 

"Cassa," she babbled, eyes already drooping.

 

"Cass, you know how to get a hold of me now, right?"  


She nodded, yawning herself. "Just like when I need to call Mom."

 

Janet ruffled her fingers through the teen's hair for a moment before we made our way out to her car. The commute to the mountain began in an easy silence, which we soon filled with idle chatter. Something was bothering her and I guessed that it had something to do with my sudden inclusion in the SGC. So I understood that she had to keep the silence until we were in a secure location. Arriving at the base, I jumped through the hoops of identification at each guard's post, accompanied by a big Marine who seemed rather bemused to find two cute little doctors in his care.

 

I've no doubt my nerves showed plainly on my face as we went further and further underground. "Just how deep are we going?" I asked, hearing the mix of anxiety and awe in my voice.

 

"Oh, a mile or so," came the matter-of-fact reply, and a long beat passed before the Marine coughed in barely suppressed amusement. Flashing him a mock glower followed up by a grin, I turned the same expressions on my pal.

 

"Smartass," I muttered and the Marine was wise enough to swallow his obvious amusement, even if there was no mistaking the laughter in his eyes.

 

As the doors opened on level 28, I passed through the final checkpoint with surprisingly little hassle. To say I was feeling a bit overwhelmed would be an understatement. There had been at least half a dozen checkpoints, not to mention the two long elevator rides, between where I was and the outside world. I followed Janet down a long corridor, pleasantly surprised to witness the various warm greetings directed her way, especially by the handful of burly Marines, who emanated a puppy dog affection toward my friend. There was a kind greeting and warm smile for each of them, as well as a brief introduction for me. It was with a sinking feeling that I realized just how long it was going to take me to get to know these people as well as Janet did.

 

++Janet++

 

I knocked lightly on the door, glancing over at Darya with a small smile. It was clear she was overwhelmed by the sheer expansiveness of the SGC and the task ahead of her. And she hadn't seen the Stargate yet! The General's muffled command to enter filtered thought the oak slab, and we marched in smartly.

 

"Good morning, General."

 

"Good morning," he replied and glanced up from the open file on his desk. "Right on time as usual, Doctor Fraiser." Then he turned his sharp gaze on Darya. She stood at parade attention, no trace of her irreverent side showing. After a moment of watching her, that faint ghost of a smile crossed his face before he spoke again. "Stand down doctor. Have a seat."

 

++Darya++

 

I answered all of General Hammond's questions, and asked a few of my own as he and Janet explained more of what went on below NORAD. I was astonished and intrigued by how much more went on here than just people traveling to other planets. The possibilities of an epidemic of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome were becoming rapidly apparent to me. This man was going to find himself in my office at his first convenience and I was going to put in a recommendation for a good, solid administrative assistant for him.

 

As we spoke, I could see that the General kept returning to a specific page in my file. I had my hunches as to what he was looking at, but I wasn't about to bring it up first.

 

"Now doctor, I want you to know that we do stand on some formalities here, but for the most part, the rules are a bit relaxed." When I nodded, he continued. "I'd like you to know that, regardless of your reasons for originally leaving the Air Force..."

 

"With all due respect, General," I cut in smoothly, "my reasons for leaving are written right there in my file. Nothing has changed in the past four years." Mentally steeling myself, I continued. "Now, if I'm as important and needed as has been implied, then there are three choices: accept it, ignore it, or deal with it. I won't change who and what I am for the military. I quit before they could throw me out for those very reasons."

 

He eyed me for a long moment with utter calm, and I could feel Janet's stunned approval to my left. I was hot and bothered now, and my heart was pounding from the stress of the situation. The General's laser blue gaze shifted to Janet, but I continued to look at him. "Has she always been this forthright doctor?"

 

"Uh, yes sir," she replied hesitantly.

 

He nodded curtly, then pinned me with a level look that could cut through concrete and I began to wonder if maybe I'd finally gone too far with my brutal honesty and quick temper. Completely unconsciously, I straightened up in to the military formal pose that I had thought forgotten. "So are you telling me, Doctor Farazell, that I should just ignore or accept your sexual orientation in a military institution that kicks people out for that very reason? Pretty ballsy of you, isn't it?"

 

"Permission to speak freely General?" I said almost hesitantly and despised the sensation. How I hated to be intimidated.

 

"I expect it," he replied in an oddly friendly tone and leaned back in his chair to hear me out. I didn't expect it to, but the sudden change put me at ease.

 

"Very well, I'll be brief. I'm a civilian psychiatrist. The military really can't do anything regarding my orientation or my preferences beyond demanding my compliance to the secrecy of this particular installation's mission. I could honestly care less if anyone on this base likes or dislikes my personal choices."

 

It felt like the first time I told my father off for being a bigot about my sexual orientation. Not the kind of flashback I really needed from my new commanding officer. Hammond's eyes were unreadable for a moment and I could practically taste my own stress as well as Janet's. Then, out of the blue, the man smiled. "You'll fit in fine doctor. Welcome aboard."

 

I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, first at him then at Janet when I felt her squeeze my arm lightly. "Thank you sir. I certainly hope my presence will benefit your people."

 

"So do I. Oh, and just so you know, while recalling you to active duty is unnecessary, you will need appropriate gear to be in this facility. Go see the Quartermaster for your BDUs and field gear. The chances are fairly low that you'll actually need them, but it's a good idea to be prepared."

 

"Yes sir," I replied and then stopped as a klaxon went off. A disembodied voice echoed across the compound from the PA system.

 

"Incoming wormhole!"

 

"Doctor Fraiser, I take it Doctor Farazell hasn't seen the Stargate yet?"

 

"No sir. We hadn't gotten that far before this briefing."

 

"Then I believe you should have the honor of showing her. Shall we?"

 

Janet grinned broadly and tugged at my arm. "Come on Dare," she enthused, pulling me out of the office with Hammond right behind us. "If we hurry, you'll see the whole thing."

 

I followed her into what I later learned was the Control Room…and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of the enormous ring of matte black carved with esoteric symbols. "What the hell is that?" I muttered, distractedly allowing Janet to maneuver me to a better vantage point out of the way of the busy technicians. There was jargon called out about chevrons engaging and locking. And then I saw a sight that rivaled my daughter's birth for its incredibleness. As the Stargate blazed to life, I instinctively stepped back, bumping into the General.

 

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" He asked warmly.

 

I nodded dumbly as people stepped out of the sheet of watery-looking energy. And only then did I truly begin to realize the enormity of what these people did on a daily basis. I could only guess what it must be like for those teams to travel through the Stargate, and I knew I'd need to go through myself once, if only to have an idea of what they felt.

 

"Incredible, isn't it?" Janet asked me with a delighted gleam in her eye. I managed to nod, then noticed her fidgeting, and I realized how badly she wanted to be down there, checking those weary-looking soldiers in.

 

"What team is this?" I asked, figuring they'd be among my first appointments.

 

"SG3," Hammond replied. "Our main Marine contingent."

 

I bit back a smirk, remembering Janet going on and on about these four men and their Navy medic. "That would be Colonel Makepeace's team, correct?"

 

"Yes, but they can wait. There are some people who are in far more urgent need of your expertise."

 

++Betty Garibaldi++

 

I wasn't certain what to expect when a bristling Goldston stalked into the Infirmary like a starving lioness on the hunt. Wild blue eyes swept around the room, touching each person as though sizing them up for consumption. It was quite an illicit thrill to be pinned under that intense stare and she was a girl for crying out loud. Behind her, Carol shrugged at my questioning look. It seemed my drinking buddy had no idea what was running through the Sergeant's mind either. Babysitting one of the hallucinating members of SG1 had to be little fun. A long beat passed while Goldston stood there and seemed to struggle with herself. Then she fired a positively venomous look just a few feet to my left where there was nothing more than an equipment rack.

 

"Dammit Urgo," she growled menacingly. "Are you trying to get me busted?"

 

Then a new player entered the drama when Janet stepped into the room and froze. It took her a moment to shake off her surprise and step closer. "Something wrong, Sarge…?"

 

When those blazing eyes landed on her, Janet's voice fell off and she went still again. I understood how she felt. The dark woman's feral stare was quite potent. Again Art tensed up as though fighting some internal battle and I began to realize that there was more to this 'Urgo' than we had really believed. By the look on the new psych doc's face, I think we were pretty much thinking the same thing. Earlier, Carter had been in with a coffee burn all over her left hand, snarling at the invisible Urgo. And Teal'c had tried to activate the defibrillator paddles before Janet had quickly shut them off. So Goldston's behavior was not entirely unexpected, even if we had no real clue what she was going to do. Suddenly the internal battle of wills broke and Goldston stared helplessly at Janet. "I'm sorry, I can't stop him," she whispered and stepped into Janet's personal space.

 

Only, Goldston did more than just step into Janet's space. Strong arms wrapped around my diminutive boss and the taller woman ducked down to kiss her. Hard. Everyone was too stunned to move and Carol's eyes went wide where she stood guard. Janet had jerked her hands up almost defensively and rested them on Goldston's shoulders. Her startled noise was lost in the lusty kiss that had me curious despite myself. Arched back from the pressure of Goldston's unexpected passion, Janet clung to her as though needing the anchor. Damn… despite exactly what I was witnessing, it was hot. They were lost in the moment, lips tangled together, embracing like they really meant it. I caught myself tilting my head to keep the action clearly within my line of sight as Janet was further bent back by the force of Goldston's bruising kiss. Then, abruptly, the Sergeant yanked her head back and stared in shock at Janet.

 

"Oh, oh _gahmohtoh_ ( _fuck_ )," Goldston hissed squeakily under her breath. "Oh shit… Doc, I'm sorry." Almost dropping the smaller woman in her haste to back off, Goldston barreled right into the stunned Carol and they very nearly went down in a tangle of arms and legs. A very flustered Janet tugged her clothing straight and smiled wryly.

 

"Let me guess. Urgo?"

 

Chuckles sounded around the Infirmary and the new Veterinarian stepped past me to help Goldston untangle herself from the muttering Carol. "Yeah, certainly has you acting out of character, huh?" Regan teased lightly and patted the Sergeant on the shoulder. "Try that shit with me and I'll deck ya," she added and Goldston managed to crack a weak grin. The levity sent the staff back to work with smiles and let the boss try and gather her scattered wits. Regan was calmly asking Goldston questions, her tall body firmly between Doc and Handler. When Goldston suddenly hissed and tensed as though in pain, Regan calmly cuffed her up alongside the head hard enough to rock the smaller woman back on her heels.

 

"Thanks," she said sheepishly. "I think you startled that idea off Urgo's list of things to try."

 

"No problem."

 

I had seen enough, and returned to my duties with a grin on my face.

 

++Darya++

 

After the little spectacle in the Infirmary, I had no idea where to go with this entity they called Urgo. Was it truly some kind of alien influence or had they simply cracked? Lost in thought, I had little to add to Janet and General Hammond's conversation. Then I heard a woman's voice raised in agitation headed towards us and my attention automatically focused. "I don't have time to play Urgo, I don't care if I'm it. 'Cause I have work to do. No, I'm not hungry. Look, go eat pie with Colonel O'Neill; I'm very busy right now." 

 

It was like listening to someone on the phone, unable to hear the other half of the conversation. I'd only seen Sam Carter in passing, but had a solid mental impression of her from listening to Janet and Cass talk about her. What I wasn't expecting was the wild-eyed blonde woman that careened around a corner, ranting at the wall beside her.

 

"Major," General Hammond intoned in a voice both serious and slightly warily. It was the kind of tone that people get when they talk to lunatics… 

 

"I was just talking to Urgo sir." Carter explained lamely, tugging nervously at her long sleeves.

 

"I see."

 

"Oh, I wish you did," she sighed heavily and Janet decided that was her cue to come to the rescue. Facing the patch of wall Carter had been raving at, she began speaking in that familiar and slightly condescending 'doctor' tone we were taught back in medical school.

 

"Alright, look Urgo, Major Carter would…" A weak gesture from Carter stopped Janet with a look halfway between puzzlement and annoyance.

 

"Janet," Carter murmured softly with so much discomfort in her tone that my heart ached for her. "He's over here."

 

The sharp look Janet flashed could not have been making Carter feel any better. I would need to speak to my old pal about remembering that the mental suffering of patients was often more serious than the physical. "Well then, Urgo, Major Carter would very much like to be left alone."

 

"Janet, as much as I appreciate it, please," Carter nearly begged, desperate to retain some shred of dignity. Then some unexpected heat jerked my attention from her abruptly and my mouth dried in shock. The most strikingly gorgeous feminine creature stood silent sentinel over the agitated Carter. With hair like flickering fire, and a sharp gaze carved from solid emerald and towering tall, the woman was stunning. A slow smile warmed her serious countenance and I felt an idiotic grin creep across my own face. Chemistry electrified the air between us and only Carter's visible start of shock yanked my attention away.

 

"Urgo," came out in a strangled squeak. "That is rude." Her hotly embarrassed and flustered glance at Janet almost made me laugh. There was some definite chemistry between the two officers and Urgo obviously knew it. 

 

"What did he say?" Janet asked defensively, and mumbling an excuse, Carter fled with the stunning Amazon in her wake. But not before I received a speculative glance that actually made me shiver. I was so caught up in my lingering hormones that I missed that Hammond and Janet had continued down the hallway and were continuing their conversation. So I hurried to catch up with them.

 

I winced at the general asking in a long-suffering tone, "are we entirely convinced that the members of SG1 are, what's the word?" 

 

"Sane?" Janet scoffed sarcastically and I flashed her a dirty look. This was a bad time for her inherent MD banality to make patients feel worse. Janet understood the physical better than any doctor I'd ever known, but the metaphysical and the unseen was not her forte. 

 

"That's the one," Hammond sighed.

 

Poor SG1…

 

## It's All In Your Mind?

 

I had been sitting in Janet's office watching SG1 through the cameras in their individual rooms all evening and it was now well into the night. There was something almost perversely amusing in watching them all react to stimuli from the tiny devices in their brains. The kennel monitor finally drew me from the useless observation and down to stand sentinel beside Captain Regan. "Will she be okay?"

 

It was times like this that I wish I had all the answers. Drooling and barking in excitement, Lucky was playing catch with no partner, and no ball. She might have been having fun at some point, but there was a frantic quality to her play now, and she was foaming like a racehorse. "She looks exhausted," I noted and Jo winced.

 

"She is, poor baby. Every time she finally collapses to rest, she's only down for a few minutes. Urgo's pushing her too hard." The maternal note of worry was heartbreaking and my questioning expression made her smile weakly. "Lucky Seven was from one of the litters I bred. I've always been very attached to the pups and she was an extraordinary one. It's one of the perks of being a military vet with status. I get the fun jobs like breeding and raising puppies. There were always a couple of Shepherds in my housing at any time, waiting until they were old enough to become K9s. And I was good enough at pairing up traits that I got my pick of the pups."

 

We both jumped in surprise as Lucky barreled into the chain link fence after the invisible ball. Her yelp of pain snapped Jo into action. In moments, she was wrapped around the thrashing Lucky, expertly avoiding the snapping teeth. "Dammit Farazell! Get in here! Grab her back legs!"

 

In moments we had restrained Lucky and hauled her exhausted, overheated body up between us. Well, I hung onto her back ankles anyway.

 

"Enough of this," Jo snarled and raised her voice at the wide-eyed Lieutenant who had stuck his head in. "You! Tell the General I need to see him in the Infirmary now. Go!" We wrestled Lucky's wriggling bulk to the Infirmary, where the startled staff scattered. With a 'whuff' of effort, Lucky was on a gurney, pinned there by Jo's tall body. The whining was heartbreaking. "Get SG1," Jo murmured urgently to me, her eyes wide and dilated with stress. "We need to see how they're being affected and Art needs to help me try and calm Lucky."

 

"I'm gone."

 

## Pack Mentality

 

They'd been waiting for me at the doors to their individual observation rooms. As each door was opened, each member of SG1 raced off to the Infirmary with their escorts in tow. Teal'c was last and I trotted after him as best as I could. No man that large should be able to move so effortlessly.

 

As I approached the Infirmary hot on Teal'c's heels, the tightly leashed rage of Jo's voice reached my ears. "Sir, with all due respect, you don't have a clue what's going on here and Lucky won't survive much more stimuli." Her face was flushed with emotion, fists clenching and unclenching. SG1 clustered near Lucky's restrained and wriggling body, owl-eyed with sheer horror at one of their own suffering so badly. "And quite frankly, she'll be easier to put down then they will," Jo added caustically with a wave at Lucky and then her human teammates. The room grew even quieter and my heart ached with the anguish pouring off of all of them like a thick fog. Jo's voice abruptly dropped to a pained whisper and she hugged herself as though needing protection. "Because none of us have any clue what the hell is going on and that's turning into our only option."

 

Abruptly, Lucky dropped limp and every eye in SG1 zeroed in on a spot close enough to me that I physically shrank away from the poisonous hostility in their glares. "Urgo, you bastard," O'Neill growled and looped an arm around Goldston's neck to haul her up against his chest so that she didn't leap across the room at their invisible tormenter. "I don't give a damn about your curiosity!" He bellowed. "You're hurting us, don't you get it?"

 

In the even heavier silence that followed, I could see the strain they were all under. It was a testament to General Hammond that he neither reacted nor allowed the torment in his eyes to affect his performance as our leader. "Major Carter," he asked quietly. "You've explored all options?" It took the blonde woman a moment to tear her attention from the spectacle only they could see and nod silently. Hammond sighed, seeming to deflate for a moment before drawing himself back together. "SG1, you have a go ahead to return to P4X-884. Good luck and Godspeed."

 

++Janet++

 

The whole scene had been heart wrenching to witness. Lucky finally lay quiet as the rest of SG1 filed out in silence, their gazes burning in my direction. Unable to look at any of them, least of all my agonized lover, I set gentle hands on Lucky where she was so heavily restrained on the exam table. "Doctor Fraiser?" Jo asked softly, her voice rough with emotion. "I need some light rope or line." Taken aback by the strange request, I stared at her. "Lucky will need to be restrained and carried through the Stargate. I have a feeling that Urgo is unwilling to return to where he came from and Lucky echoes that fear the most intensely. I don't want her hurting herself or anyone else."

 

Beneath my hand, Lucky panted in stress, muscles bunched under her restraints. There was white showing around her dark eyes and they flickered around in agitation. For the first time I truly understood just how dangerous these animals could be. Admiration for what Art and Jo did filled me. Not to mention my feelings for this magnificent animal and her predecessor. Jo's blue eyes were intent on me as I leaned over to kiss Lucky's cheek. "You'll be okay girl," I whispered and pulled the armor of duty around me to get through this.

 

An hour later, I stood in the Control Room and watched SG1 at the base of the ramp below. Jo and two of my nurses wheeled Lucky in, legs carefully hog-tied together and heavily muzzled with a neat spider web of rope. Movements jerky, Art resettled her gear to lean over, ruffle Lucky's fur and hoist her partner across her shoulders. The soldier in me admired her physical strength and determination. With sixty pounds of gear and at least that many in dog, her load was impressive. So different from the broken woman who had entered my life those six long months ago.

 

Jo left the Gateroom with a loaded glance and SG1 was left alone to face their salvation or their destruction. "You have a go SG1," Hammond spoke heavily into the mike and they all looked up at us. They were such an admirable group of people, every single one of them. In that moment I realized how much I adored each of them. Caustic and dedicated O'Neill, stoic and empathetic Teal'c, bright and driven Daniel, brilliant and contradictive Sam, my devoted and enigmatic Art, smart and loyal Lucky. I silently prayed that they beat the odds and return home safely yet again.

 

And I watched them, backlit by the activating 'Gate, walk away to face their destiny.

 

Once more unable to say goodbye.

 

## Urgo, We Will Move On…

 

++Darya++

 

Since SG1 had been gone so long their first trip to wherever Urgo came from, we all settled in to wait and made ourselves useful. A quick phone call to the Captain who'd volunteered to watch Cassie and Emily had reassured my maternal obligations. Janet had managed to get the keys to McKenzie's old office and took me there. On the threshold of the cement closet that was my office, I stared in horror. I'd had rental bathrooms bigger than this. Beside me, Janet huffed humorlessly, "you get used to it."

 

Every emotion was tightly harnessed beneath her professional exterior, but I could feel them seething just beneath. Janet had always been like that. In nineteen years of friendship, that dichotomy had only become sharper within her. So I rested a hand briefly on her arm, focusing her attention. "I'm here when you're ready to come see me," I reiterated softly and turned away, knowing that she needed to be the impassive doctor right now.

 

I spent a good hour poking through the cabinets and desk, familiarizing myself with where the personnel files were and how the computer system worked. Then I curled up on the small couch and fell asleep.

 

(8-9-99)

 

Only to be awakened what felt like moments later by a pounding on my door. "They're back," Jo was shouting and I scrambled to my feet. Yanking my skirt straight and my heels on, I threw open the door to my new pal's agitated glower. "I think they're okay, the Pokéballs appear to be gone. They'll need you now."

 

It wasn't easy to keep up with Jo's leggy stride, and I was grateful for the years of practice with keeping up with Legs. The silly nickname I'd stuck on my coltish pal back when we were teens had always been a perfect combination of her looks and her mouthful of a last name. Kim had been my friend as long as Janet and Xavier, and we four had been fairly inseparable for almost two decades. Psychiatry had been the long, hard road Kim and I had chosen, while Janet and X had opted for MDs with the former going for a specialization in virology. When the Air Force had stationed me in San Francisco right out of training, I'd been able to keep close to Legs and later stayed there after I'd dropped my commission. It was there that Legs had introduced me to her pal Emma. That familiar, tearing pain resurfaced again, never far from me, and I wrapped it up tightly in self-control once more.

 

"You okay?" Jo asked quietly and I smiled up at her weakly. She really was just exactly Kim's height and coloring. I missed loyal ole' Legs more than I expected too, the way she'd hovered after Em's death…

 

"If I said yes, would you believe me?"

 

"No," Jo answered honestly. "But I don't know you well enough to pry. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, okay?"

 

And, before I could respond to her kindness, we were back in the Infirmary again.

 

They seemed fine, confused and a little disoriented, but thankfully alone inside their own skulls. Jackson happened to be closest and I carefully rested a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "I'm not even going to ask if you're okay, because in a stressful situation I always thought it was an inane question at best. Downright insulting at worst." The confusion and strain was etched deep into his clear blue eyes and a glance showed every eye in SG1 on me and I could see that Jackson's expression was mirrored there. The emotions poured off them in waves, nearly making me dizzy. "When Doctor Fraiser releases you, come see me. I'm not particular about in what order. I'd like to get to know all of you better and see what I can do for you."

 

I really hoped they would give me a chance.

## Subject: Jack O'Neill

 

(8-10-99)

 

"So is there a reason I'm here after Mackenzie cleared us before he bailed? Or is this just one of those games you head-shrinkers play to psych out people like me? I'm not crazy, you know."

 

I smiled as I glanced up at the man fidgeting on the couch. "I never said you were crazy sir."

 

"Oh, the hell with it," he groused half-heartedly and sprawled back on the couch, one arm over his eyes. "So I suppose you wanna know about my mom?"

 

"I don't know sir. Would you like to talk about your mother?" I knew exactly what he was trying to do, but I wanted to see how far Colonel Jack O'Neill would push me to laugh. I was already fighting the chuckles, but I really wanted to test him.

 

"Well, uh…"

 

"If it makes you more comfortable, perhaps a cigar would help. Or perhaps I could wear reading glasses low on my nose?" Confusion wrinkled his forehead. "Anything else you'd like me to spoof of Dr. Frood?"

 

"Hunh? Frood?" The confusion was palpable on his face as he sat up to stare at me.

 

"Colonel, you wound me! And here I thought you'd be an expert on cheesy movies." The confusion deepened the lines of his face, and I could feel how hard he was trying to figure out what I was talking about. "Oh, come on sir. I mean, I know it was probably a while ago that you last saw Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, but how could you possibly forget Siggie the Frood-dude?" I asked, chuckling heartily.

 

And suddenly his face lit up as recognition dawned on him. "Oh, right!"

 

And then, in unison, we cried, "Sixty-nine, dude!"

 

Amid the laughter we'd both dissolved into, I smiled at him and said, "Colonel, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

 

## Subject: Teal'c

 

The tall man completely fascinated me. I mean, the tattoo itself was intriguing, but I've never met a person quite like Teal'c. His alien makeup notwithstanding, I couldn't crack him, no matter what I tried. Everything I asked him, he answered honestly… and yet, he told me nothing.

 

"Come on, Teal'c, I'm sure there's something that you would like to discuss with me," I said, still slightly unnerved that I couldn't sense much from the man sitting rigidly on the couch. "No questions about our customs? No concerns about anything?"

 

"Daniel Jackson has made certain that I am well-versed in Tau'ri customs and dictates. O'Neill shares his military prowess with me. Major Carter and Doctor Fraiser ensure I am not left alone during periods of inactivity. Cassandra Fraiser is also not of the Tau'ri, and teaches me things she learns of in her educational setting."

 

Nothing wrong in what he said. In fact, he answered my question perfectly. But damn it, why couldn't I get behind that fierce warrior's façade of his? And then a thought dawned on me. What if that wasn't a façade? What if that's really all Teal'c was? But that couldn't be. He'd been the right hand man to an evil alien overlord. There had to be something troubling him… I was determined to find out what it was, no matter what.

 

## Subject: Samantha Carter

 

"Dr. Farazell?"

 

I glanced up to see Major Carter standing in the doorway. Of all of SG1, I knew the most about her from Janet and Cassie. The blonde woman had been Janet's friend for years and was spoken of often. Of course, Cassandra idolizing her gave me a better picture of this woman. "Come in, Major. Make yourself comfortable." At the friendly bidding, she stepped in somewhat warily and I returned to the final notes I was making about Teal'c. From the corner of my eye, I watched her move around the small office, scanning the spines of the books I'd hastily put up this morning. While I knew quite a lot about her, I couldn't rely only on the second hand information, as I'd already realized that there was far more to learn about this 'golden child' team of SG1. And Sam Carter was definitely richer beneath that slightly distracted, bright surface that she projected. Closing the folder, I reached for hers and opened it, finding a blank sheet in my notepad. Then I found myself watching as she picked one of the volumes off the shelf and begin quietly paging through it. The tome was one of the esoteric pieces on Celtic women. "So, Major…" I said quietly, unable to control my smile.

 

"What?" She squeaked, jumping slightly at the sound of my voice and nearly dropped the book in her surprise. "Oh, um, sorry," she sighed, her skin flushing lightly in embarrassment before putting the book back.

 

"No problem. It's a great book if you ever have the time to really get into it. Anything you'd like to share before I start asking my own questions?" The awkward shrug made me chuckle softly and I moved to sit on the couch in attempt to make her comfortable. "Nothing at all? You want to make me work for it all, hmm?" I teased.

 

"No! It's not that! It's just…" She studied her boots, clearly even more flustered now. "I'm just not really good at this sort of thing," she finally continued in a soft voice. "Despite all the practice."

 

I gently patted the cushion next to me. "There's nothing to be afraid of Major. This is just a friendly little chat to get to know each other in what's technically a neutral setting. I'm providing you with a safe place to vent any frustrations or fears you may have, whether it's a professional or personal concern. I'm really rather harmless, honest."

 

She smiled hesitantly and moved to sit next to me. "I just… You can call me Sam, you know."

 

"Excellent. I'd much rather call you by something other than rank. So, Sam, why don't you call me Darya," I charmed gently, sensing the slow opening up of her defenses. I was beginning to understand what Janet had implied when she'd said Sam was like an iceberg. She wasn't cold, but what was visible upon casual observation was only a tiny part of the bigger picture.

 

She nodded slowly. "Umm, thanks. I get the impression that you're going to be more than just the 'standard eval' type," she joked quietly and her mouth curled into a soft smile.

 

That made me chuckle in honest amusement, delighted by her gentle humor. "Sam, there's very little that's standard about me." That small grin blossomed into a blinding, devastating smile that left me blinking like a deer in headlights. No wonder half the base was in love with her.

 

"That must be why you get away with calling Janet 'Squirt'."

 

Now I laughed out loud and patted her on the knee, honestly and truly delighted with her. "I've known Janet for almost twenty years and we've been through plenty together. Undoubtedly, she's got some nickname for me that I'd hate if she dared say it to my face. It makes for a powerful comfort zone. And that's what we're doing here, Sam. I'm getting to know you, you're getting to know me." Her smile faded, but she remained focused on me so I continued on. "We're setting up a safe, open environment for you to be able to discuss things that need to be discussed." When she started to protest, I quickly continued. "I understand that the Air Force can confiscate your records from me, but what they don't know," when my voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper, she grinned. "Is that I have a nearly photographic memory. This?" I waved the notepad at her. "Is a cover, so that I look like I'm doing my job by the book. It's really not necessary. Which means that you really can discuss anything you need to with me, Sam. It will stay right here." I reassured, tapping my forehead. "The only time I will take information received in this room to your superiors is if I think you're a danger to yourself or to someone else. And that's a pretty extreme circumstance."

 

Sam nodded, lost in thought for a moment. I watched as the pale blue eyes go unfocused, staring off sightlessly toward the wall behind my desk. This afforded me a rare opportunity to study the original woman on SG1. Ever since Janet had first told me about her astrophysicist friend, I'd been interested in meeting her. The unruly blonde hair surrounded her head like a halo, adding to the air of innocence that she literally exuded. As she lost herself in her thoughts, the faint lines of care and laughter seemed to ease and smooth out, making her look far younger than her almost thirty-three years. And then I felt a vague impression of longing and bittersweet happiness from her, an odd combination to get as one of my initial impressions. Particularly after her humor of a few minutes ago. But as I talked further with Sam, I found that my impressions had been bang on.

 

## Subject: Daniel Jackson

 

"Are you busy Darya?"

 

I glanced up, smiling as Daniel Jackson calmly stepped into my office and made himself comfortable on my couch. "I was actually hoping you'd be stopping by Daniel," I replied, continuing his first name basis. He was obviously the most open of this team, being the only true non-military person. I searched my desk for his file, then stopped at his soft words.

 

"You don't have to look for it, I can tell you, practically word for word what's in that file. My parents died when I was seven; they were killed in an accident while setting up a display in a museum. I lived where I could then, usually shlepping off to digs with Nick. He meant well, but he never wanted me in the beginning. When he saw how interested in what he was doing, and how helpful I really could be on the digs, then he appreciated me being around. I went on to college and got double PhDs in anthropology and ancient languages. I speak twenty-three fluently, if you're curious, and I've a passable knowledge of dozens more. When…"

 

"Wait! Hold on," I said, raising my hands in defeat, battered by the strongly defensive walls he'd thrown up. He stopped and blinked at me expectantly, then cleaned his glasses on his shirt. "How many psychiatrists have you seen?"

 

"Since I've been with this program? Or in my entire life?"

 

Well… That certainly answered my question, didn't it? I took a deep breath before continuing. "Daniel, I know that Dr. Mackenzie didn't have the best bedside manner. I've worked with him for years on PTSD cases, usually in a research capacity. But I'm not like him, or like any of the other people you've obviously had the misfortune of seeing." I paused again, smiling at him. "Listen, I know you've had a lot of shit happen to you, both before and after you joined this program. We can discuss that if you want. Or we can find other things to talk about. Janet and Cassie have told me so much about all of you, in some ways I feel like I already know you. But I'd like the chance to get to know you better on my own, and let you get to know me. They speak so highly of you and treasure your place in their lives. I'd like to see what they see. How about it?"

 

He studied me for a long moment, long enough that I felt like one of the artifacts he was so fond of. Just as I was feeling a little self-conscious, I sensed the change in his demeanor, and he grinned at me. "You've got a deal."

 

**Subject: Artemis Goldston**

 

She stood there, staring defiantly at me from under dark lashes. Leaning against the far wall, arms crossed over her chest, Sergeant Goldston was utterly defensive and terrified to be here. When she did finally speak, her tone was a low, strangled growl. "I'm not certain that I can do this after what's happened so recently."

 

I blinked placidly at her, projecting every nuance of calm I could manage with her bristling like this. Ever since meeting her oh-so-briefly at Janet's, we had been like this, and I still wasn't entirely certain why. Though I certainly had a few good guesses, all of them centered on a certain Janet Fraiser. "After talking to your teammates, Artemis, I can understand that you'd feel that way." In actuality, none of SG1 had been very forthcoming, though I knew I could get through to Sam and Daniel if I was gentle. So far I had seen little of what Cassie and Janet liked in this dark woman, but there were sparks of it under her tightly-controlled dislike of me. I calmly went back to reading Goldston's file and could feel her staring at me. "You're stuck here for the next thirty-five minutes Sergeant. You might as well sit down and be comfortable." Then I glanced up at her again, biting back a smirk. "Unless you'd rather be uncomfortable as well as recalcitrant." She glowered at me and muttered something derogatory under her breath in Greek. There was the oddest combination of terror and humor coming off her in waves. My eyebrows rose at her curse, a part of me bristling to return the words. But cooler heads prevailed. It was interesting that she spoke the language and that she seemed unaware that the expletive had slipped out. "Janet did warn me that you'd be a little stubborn, but I'd never guessed that she was serious."

 

The mention of my friend's name made her head snap up, those deep blue eyes boring into me. "What did she say?" She asked hoarsely, face paling under her swarthy color. This was odd… she knew that I'd been counseling Cassandra for over four months, but in all that time, we had pretty much managed to avoid one another. What was eating her so bad? It had to be the fear of someone discovering that she and Janet were together. The thought made me cringe in sympathy to them. Here were the results of living in constant fear of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' and a bitter reminder of why I no longer had any desire to wear the uniform. It was a good thing I was able to mostly set aside my own emotions and concentrate on my patient. 

 

"We don't get along, we've never gotten along and I can make a few guesses as to why." I stated bluntly and almost earned a smile through all of her negative emotions. Given time I was certain that I could break through to her. "Care to speculate with me?" The question earned a shrug, but I was heartened to see her moving away from the wall to warily sink to the edge of the couch. 

 

"I suppose… but there are some things that I'm just not comfortable with sharing." Her tone was flat and unfriendly, and it was obvious that she was ready to retreat even further. "Especially not with you."

 

Ouch. Jealousy and barely restrained resentment burned like blue fire in her eyes. After growing up with Greeks in the family, I should have known better how to handle her. All I could hope for was that it wasn't too late. I knew that I'd need to come clean, at least in part, or this would go nowhere fast. I stood and moved to lean against the corner of my desk, projecting openness and trust as best I could through my own wariness. "You know, anything said in this office is recorded on paper only at my discretion, Artemis. There is no recording equipment in this room, I made damn sure of that."

 

"So you're a rebel." She acknowledged in that flat tone, with more than a little sarcasm. Damn, but she was trying to get my goat. 

 

"The troublemaker act is nothing to me," I forced myself to acknowledge her calmly and not to give into the temper boiling just under the surface. "You're stuck with me no matter what you want or don't want. I'm not going to let any personal feelings get in the way of either of our duties because obviously you're needed here and you're important to these people and this facility. I want to help you, make sure you don't get in trouble Artemis." While the words could be construed as harsh, the tone was gentle.

 

"Art," she said softly after a long moment, her gaze turning inward. "Please. Only my grandmother ever really called me Artemis."

 

"Art it is," I replied with a smile and filed away that obviously painful tidbit of information for a later session. "So, what I said before was true. Anything said within these four walls can be strictly confidential. There are certain things that will need to be made available to the military, but I promise to be a good judge of that. You can talk to me about anything Art."

 

Maybe I'd gone too far with that for she had actually cringed at my last words and I saw the walls starting to go back up again. "Anything, huh?" Came out harshly, her eyes trained on her fidgeting fingers.

 

"You know," I said ever-so-softly, "we all have secrets we have to keep, for one reason or another. One of my biggest has been my…knack for knowing what people are feeling sometimes. That's not the biggest one, but it certainly ranks up there. But there are certain things that some of us need to keep to ourselves, especially when we're associated with the military. I haven't been in the service for four years now, but I still can't totally be myself because I work for Uncle Sam, at least technically."

 

Art chuckled suddenly and I suddenly couldn't take her poking at my self-control any longer. Obviously reading this in my expression, as she shook her head and raised both hands in a placating gesture. "No, not you, sorry. It was the Uncle Sam reference. Did Cassie tell you about our big adventure into forbidden territory?" At my intrigued, quizzical look, she leaned back and motioned to the other end of the couch. "I'll quit being such a bitch if you get comfortable for this one. It might take a while." Well this was a sudden switch…

 

I found myself both amused by her story and utterly intrigued by her sudden openness as she related the story of SG1's sex change, beginning to gesture more and more animatedly as she went on. While I had heard about the amazing turn of events from both Janet and Cassie, it was fascinating to hear Art's point of view. There were still plenty of things she was keeping from me, but this was a good start. And I could definitely see what Janet had been attracted to in this charismatic woman… and what she'd been fearful to admit, even to me.

 

This woman was a tightly contained packet of strong emotions, a banquet of sensation across my sensitive perceptions. I envied Janet's happiness with this firecracker, how beautiful they must be together when there was no fear between them. While Art and I certainly weren't pals, her openness now was giving me a chance to get to know her better. I was looking forward to it.


	10. Feels Like a Hundred Days Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While a teammate is lost on another world, life moves on at the SGC and the dog population explodes…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: R. We're back to Art and Janet bonding.
> 
> Pairings: Just my main girlie couple.
> 
> Personal Disclaimer: You all finally get to meet Jo and Darya! I'm so jazzed. The former might bear a resemblance to a certain blonde, ex-Borg, bombshell, but you never know…. The later is an old 'friend' of AJ's and she looks much like sexy Claudia Christianson. These two will begin to bring the others in focus and both will play an important series of roles for the constantly-evolving SGC.

**Day 1**

 

++Janet++

 

(8-15-99)

 

When I was called to the Gateroom, my heart leapt up into my throat. SG1 only been gone for three days… They weren't due back till tomorrow. I ordered my team to fall in line and we rushed off to aid our teammates. When I recognized Noral, Neal and Masters, I was relieved for the split second it took me to realize that Taylor was sprawled out on the ramp by her teammates crouched bodies. "Back off guys," I instructed firmly but kindly and they reluctantly obeyed. One ear listened to the men explain in fits and starts. The rest of my concentration was for the unconscious officer under my busy hands. There had been something about a tangled forest, foggy darkness and Taylor falling into a root-choked ravine. There were lacerations on her face and a hasty but acceptable split laced around her left arm. "Okay, let's get her to the Infirmary," I instructed my own staff and they used the makeshift sling of fatigue jackets to lift the tall woman onto the gurney. While that was being accomplished, I turned to the men of SG7. "You three as well. Let's make sure all of you will be okay."

 

It was a long surgery to reset the shattered bones in Taylor's arm and hand. Thankfully, she had managed to leave the delicate wrist bones intact and the hairline fracture in the metacarpal in her palm would heal quickly. How the hell she had managed to spiral fracture the ulna in three separate places while leaving the radius unharmed was a mystery. Once Warner and I finished with the arm, I gave the stitches in her cheek and scalp a quick once-over, relieved to see that it had been done without damaging her glorious hair. There were some nasty contusions on her torso, but her breathing appeared to be easy, despite the fading anesthesia. 

 

"Good job," I complimented my staff and left them to finish up with our damaged teammate. "We'll put her in room four to recover."

 

"Yes ma'am," they chorused softly and bent to their tasks. When I stepped out of surgery, pulling off mask and cap, I noticed that SG1 was sitting in the central Infirmary. Daniel, Sam, Teal'c and my beloved were there and the looks on their faces made my blood run cold. Three pairs of blue eyes regarded me beside Teal'c's somber dark gaze. What on earth had put those shadows in their eyes? Only then did I notice that Sam and Teal'c looked singed and there was only the four of them in the room with my staff. Where was O'Neill? 

 

# Day Six

 

(8-20-99)

 

It felt like longer since he had been left behind. I watched the stress of SG1, unable to retrieve the man that led them. It would be a very long time before anyone could tear Sam away from creating the particle cannon that would find O'Neill, dead or alive, on the other side of the Gate. 

 

"C'mon Doc, please."

 

And that wheedling voice was one of the primary reasons that the last five days had stretched on so interminably. Karen Taylor began making a nuisance of herself within twenty-four hours of coming out from under anesthesia. Oh, at first the flirtatious cajoling had been cute, but now it was becoming annoying. Simply put; Karen was bored. At the rate she was whining and fidgeting, she would soon replace O'Neill as my most exasperating patient. That thought sobered me again and I left Karen's room without a word. When I tapped on General Hammond's door, his voice called out wearily, "come in."

 

"You look terrible sir," I observed without preamble and he smirked humorlessly. 

 

"What can I do for you doctor?"

 

Looking at the obvious chaos on his normally clean desktop, I began to wonder if I shouldn't be offering help instead of asking for it. Shaking the thought off, I answered the question. "Major Taylor is driving me crazy sir. And unlike certain other terrible patients of mine, I think that she can remain focused on a task for longer than a few hours while bedridden."

 

Now the man's eyes were on me, humor and confusion in their depths. "So what did you need from me?"

 

"I'm out of ideas. She's still bedridden and only has use of one arm."

 

Hammond leaned back in his chair and regarded me thoughtfully. "Taylor, huh? I think I may have an idea."

 

When we bustled into Karen's room an hour or so later, she lit up for a moment at the prospect of company. Then she saw the box of papers in Hammond's arms and the tangle of wires and computer hardware in mine. "Uh-oh."

 

"Congratulations Major," Hammond said with frightening cheer and plopped the box down within easy reach of her undamaged hand. "You've been volunteered to serve your country," he paused dramatically to fire off a positively sadistic grin. "As my secretary. Doctor Farazell has been nagging me to assign someone to the job. Congratulations. The program basics are under the 'stores' file in the laptop. It's interfaced with the system in my office, have fun." And with a few things expertly plugged in, Karen was left with a project that would keep her occupied for days. Maybe weeks. I suspected that my grin was just as evil when Karen glowered and grumbled under her breath.

 

"Sadist."

 

It was with great pleasure that I left my restless patient to her non-strenuous work. Now if only I could get Sam to take a break…

 

## Day 8 

 

++Hammond++

 

(8-22-99)

 

"You're done?"

 

Oh, I knew I sounded as dumbfounded as I felt. I had to give Taylor credit for her modesty, as she only smiled slightly and kept her gaze steady on me. "And she didn't even work herself to death over it," Janet added breezily as she bustled in to check on the prone Major. Now Taylor smiled for real, making her extraordinary eyes twinkle.

 

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Doc."

 

The wheels in my head were turning fast as I looked down at the organized files of months of backlogged paperwork and the dormant laptop. "Tell you what Major," I mused softly. "What would it take for you to take on being my administrative assistant for good?"

 

Both women looked startled at what was essentially an admission of weakness from me. But I knew that Farazell's thinly veiled 'suggestions' about getting someone in that role were bang on. This position was murder and I desperately needed someone to help me navigate miles of red tape and oceans of official military paperwork. Some of my desperation must have shown in my eyes and Taylor regarded me thoughtfully.

 

"Well," she started with uncharacteristic awkwardness and ran her good hand over her hair. "Funny you should mention that." I was lost as to where she was going with that comment and my expression must have said as much. Suddenly her eyes were as tired as I felt and a distinct twinge of empathy for this capable young woman rang through me. "I think I'm ready to hand the reins off to somebody else sir. I've been in this facility since long before the Stargate was first activated and I think I've had enough of the front lines. I've held just about every post this place has ever offered to an officer with no specialized training in a specific science and…" Again she shifted uncomfortably and I understood how she felt. We were both the kind of alpha personalities that despised weakness. Especially in ourselves. I admired that about her. What I admired even more was the strength of character she was showing with her honesty. 

 

"I understand exactly what you mean Major," I sympathized with her in my gentlest tone. When her emerald eyes met mine once more, there was empathy and appreciation shining.

 

"General Hammond," she smiled in a wonderful combination of respect and warmth. "I would be honored to be your assistant."

 

++Karen++

 

It was amazing how good that felt. The General I respected with every bone in my body, who I would unhesitatingly lay down my life for… he needed me. Wow. As a military officer, the position he was offering me may have been seen by some as nothing more than a glorified secretary, but I knew that the confines of the Stargate Project would make this desk job as challenging as actually stepping through the Gate. And I was truly weary of the constant danger and unknown. The men of my squad were going to be horrified, and I'd miss their constant presence like a pack around me, but this felt right.

 

Besides, it would keep me around cute Doctor Farazell…

 

# The Dogs of the SGC

## Day 9 

 

++Art++

 

(8-23-99)

 

"Quit fidgeting, fer crying out loud," Jo grumbled and elbowed me in the ribs. "You're making Lucky nervous."

 

Truth be told, Lucky seemed more curious that nervous, but I didn't argue with Jo. The three new men joining my fledgling squad were no more than files to me. In just a few minutes they would walk around that corner and I would have to prove to them that I was fit to lead this team. I was the youngest and the lowest in rank and understandably nervous. Behind me, Burt slapped my shoulder and flashed a grin when I glanced back. "You'll knock 'em dead."

 

"I just hope they're better prepared for the SGC than I was."

 

As if in response to my mutter, masculine laughter echoed down the hallway from around the corner. My first impression was that they were all dark, but with bright smiles. It immediately put me at ease and brought an answering grin to my face. Two Master Sergeants and a Major they were, with handsome dogs by their sides and rucksacks over their shoulders. Short, medium, tall, I noted and my smile deepened. "Welcome to Stargate Command," I said and snapped off a crisp salute. There was only the briefest pause before they returned the traditional gesture and the ranking officer held out a hand. 

 

"Thank you Sergeant. I'm Major Patrick O'Connor and this is Turtle."

 

At his boots, the pretty girl cocked her head and regarded us with calm curiosity. I was introduced to Frank Striker, the painfully tall Marine with the sparkling smile and his handsome partner, Mac. Manuel Gugliamo was the graying pit bull of an Army Sergeant that I was extremely pleased to have on the team. He stood only a couple of inches taller than my beloved, but carried himself like someone twice that size. His alert dog Bandito was almost uniformly black and very longhaired, only recognizable as a German Shepherd by his conformation. They remembered Jo from the K9 Academy at Lackland AFB and were warm to Burt when he was introduced. All of them had been thoroughly briefed on the Stargate Project and seemed unfazed that their leader was a mere Sergeant First Class. Our first stop was the newly completed kennel that Jo would kennelmaster for now. Eventually, we would have someone permanently in the post, but we would make do for now. "It's small," Striker said offhandedly and I almost bristled. "But it will certainly do, since there obviously wasn't much room to begin with. How does Lucky hold up to being underground so much?"

 

"She and Grover have only been here three weeks, but a romp in the sunshine once a day seems to keep them happy and alert. When offworld, it's rarely a problem."

 

That made Striker grin wickedly and rub his hands together in childish glee. "I've always wanted to be a spaceman. Can't hardly believe I actually get to do it!"

 

We all chuckled and continued the tour. After showing them the main sections of the base and their quarters, we headed for the commissary to get everyone fed. The small room was virtually taken over by K9 officers and our bulky dogs. While everyone chatted and got to know one another, I snuck some time to get to know each dog. While Turtle may have been aloof when I first met her, she bounced over to rub up against my hand like a friendly kitty. Bandito was a gregarious flirt while Mac was focused and precise in personality. Like their Handlers, they were a diverse, adaptable lot. Exactly what was needed by the SGC.

 

Now the real work began.

 

++Jo++

 

It was a wonderful and humorous experience to watch Art trying to teach these seasoned men what was required of them. There was still an element of amused disbelief among them… Heck, even I still felt that way and I'd seen firsthand some of the results of Gate travel. It frustrated Art, but she was handling it admirably. Finally, she raked fingers through her curls and eyed us all sharply. "I suppose this is all bullshit to you until you step through the Gate."

 

We all chuckled lightly and O'Connor chimed in. "It does seem a bit like a bad science fiction movie."

 

"It would probably make a great movie," Manny laughed and we all joined in. "Or even better, a TV show." He had insisted, with stereotypical Hispanic charm, that we girls called him Manny. It was an easy compromise to make for his comfort. We laughed at the joke, the men suddenly stopping as something caught their eye. When Art and I turned to look, we understood why. Seems Carter had finally left her hermit's life in her lab, if only for the cup of coffee she was shakily pouring into a thermos. She looked like hell, stress and overwork and too little sleep making her fragile and vulnerable. In an instant, Art was beside her, hand on the arm pouring, speaking in a low, soothing tone. I was proud of her as she showed all the traits that made her such a great Handler. Patience, empathy, firmness and kindness were slowly wearing away Carter's reluctance to whatever Art was gently suggesting. So Art placed a hand on Carter's crown and pressed her thumb firmly into her forehead, making Carter hiss and jerk her head away. Anger flashed across her features before she gave into Art's pleading expression.

 

In moments she was wedged in beside me with a tray of food, staring at it as though she had forgotten what it was and was trying to remember. Art held a fork under her nose as she flopped down beside Carter and continued where she left off. "The trip through the wormhole is bad enough, and the dogs will hate it even more than you will the first couple of times. I'm certain that General Hammond will authorize a series of safe jumps before anyone is sent off on missions. That's what Cooper and I did, and Lucky here got to do the same. It'll be more energy efficient to send the whole gang of us when you're all ready. You too Jo. In fact, we should take Doctor Farazell with us as well. Give everybody a taste of Gating."

 

"Is it dangerous?" Frank asked and Art shook her head.

 

"As long as both Gates are intact and open, there's little danger. It's what's on the other side that can kick your ass." Again we chuckled, but it was subdued this time.

 

"So it's dangerous," Pat mused thoughtfully.

 

"Sir, it's dangerous every time we dial in or out. There's stuff out there that can have a level of terror I can't describe. There's also beauty and function and cool societies and stories that'll keep you occupied forever. Somebody has to do this, and we're the lucky ones." Her partner's head came up and Art reflexively rubbed her head while studying her new squad. A glance over her shoulder took in the whole room and her grin made me chuckle. "Hey Astor, c'mere for a second."

 

A small, pretty woman with honey-brown hair paused and flashed Art a look that was oddly uncomfortable. Her eyes flickered from Art to the gold crown of Sam's head. Then a determined look flitted across her features and she strode over to the table. "What can I do for you Sergeant?"

 

I saw the play of facial muscles on Art's profile, as she was turned away to talk to the new woman. Here came the famous Goldston charm. "I was hoping that you'd help me educate these guys on the wonders and terrors of Gate travel. You've been doing it a hell of a lot longer than I have."

 

The woman could shmooze with the best; there was no doubt about that. Chuckling, I stood and waved at my chair. "Sit here Lieutenant, I'll move over by Burt so that you can eat."

 

"Thank you Captain," she demurred as Art rattled off introductions again. 

 

Giving Astor time to eat, Art launched into a basic personnel rundown of the base and where things were. I snaked a chair from an adjoining table and elbowed Burt into scooting over with a chuckle. Halfway through the spiel, Carter half placed and half dropped her fork to her plate and leaned forward as though she was going to face plant into her leftovers. It was Astor's quick reflexes that got an elbow in Sam's chest to keep her upright, where she blinked groggily. Ah, behold the power of lack of sleep and warm food. "Hey," Sam whispered wearily and smiled at Astor. One hand came up to grip the green cloth covering the supporting arm. "I forgot how strong you are."

 

Between Sam's flirtatious tone, Astor's pink blush and Art spluttering into her coffee hard enough to send half of it down her shirt, the rest of us started cracking up. Despite the fact that we didn't understand what was obviously an inside joke, it was hysterical anyway.

 

"Yeah, well it wasn't me that carried your naked body in from the Gateroom," Astor grumbled half-heartedly. "Not that I could, Amazon."

 

Now Art was cracking up while Sam merely blinked in confusion. "I'll tell you the highlights of that mission later guys, but only the highlights. The gory details are too embarrassing to relive."

 

Carter snorted softly in agreement. 

 

Astor and Art let us laugh again for a moment before telling a handful of stories about Gate travel.

 

The Handlers kept an eye on Carter's exhaustion, but didn't divert from their training session again. When she started drifting again, Art slid back a couple feet and gently coaxed the drifting Major to rest her head in her lap. In seconds, I could see her grow limp with sleep. With Carter's backside pressed against her hip, there was nowhere for a flustered Astor to go and nowhere to put her left elbow. Art reached out to grab the hovering limb and press it to Carter's leg and hip. "It might comfort her," was the explanation and Astor nodded awkwardly. Only then did Art let her concern really show clearly in the clouding of her expression. 

 

"So what happened?" O'Connor asked softly and Art looked up from where she was lightly stroking Carter's hair.

 

"We lost our team CO eight days ago," Art answered even more softly. "And there's a good chance that he's alive and stranded on the other side of the Gate. She's been trying to figure out some particle accelerator thing to fix the problem, but it's looking to take months of research and testing and building the damn thing. This is probably the first time she's done more than catnap in a week." Clearing her throat harshly, Art forced a tone of normalcy into her voice. "So you understand that I'm going to be unwilling to move until I absolutely have to."

 

"Could we help you move her?" Frank asked quietly, his blue eyes concerned.

 

"Maybe once she's good and out we can try."

 

In a few minutes, we'd all forgotten completely about the officer sleeping in Art's lap and continued to get to know one another and our new assignment.

 

++Art++

 

My new squad scared the hell out of me when they all abruptly scrambled to their feet and saluted. There was a presence at my back and Jo's eyes rounded with awe and something that was almost amusement. Not to mention no small interest. I looked up to see Bob returning the salute before dropping his gaze to me. "How you two holding up?" He asked gently and I smiled with all the pain and weariness in my heart.

 

"Lousy," I answered honestly. This man had been a good friend and Sam really liked him. Bob returned the sad smile and gave my shoulder a squeeze.

 

"You gonna leave her here? Or should we try and get her back to her quarters?"

 

"It's been a half-hour or so. If we're going to try, I guess we should do it now." Bob's touch was less likely to rouse Sam than the complete strangers in my new squad, and neither Carol nor I were capable of moving her easily. So Bob wriggled his thick arms under Sam's slender frame while I carefully pulled the plastic chair away and tilted her head into his chest. There was a sleepy moan that made us all freeze until Sam burrowed comfortably into Bob's shirt and sighed contentedly. It was more than a little amusing to see how flustered he became.

 

"I'll see the five of you tomorrow," I addressed my team and dismissed them into Jo's care to get their quarters assigned. Carol looked weirded out and I gave her a measured stare. Sam had told me about the wild night with this pretty woman back when we were still boys, and I knew there was some unfinished business between them. Eventually, they were going to need to talk and my expression said as much. In those endless and brief moments, Carol's eyes registered my demand and she nodded faintly in compliance.

 

"I hope she sleeps okay," Carol told me quietly and I forced a smile past my pain. 

 

"Me too. Thank for your help with everything. See you around?"

 

Carol nodded at my questioning tone and I followed Bob into the hallway where we made our way to Sam's quarters. There were a few weird looks, but everyone knew what had happened to O'Neill and we were left in peace. "You in a hurry to be anywhere?" I asked as I let Bob into the small room. It looked like all the other miniature living spaces in the base. Only a few personal touches identified it as Sam's.

 

"No," Bob answered shortly as he prepared to set Sam's limp body on the cot.

 

"Then hold her for awhile, won't you?"

 

Surprised, Bob glanced over his shoulder and I gestured at his welcome burden. "Let her rest somewhere where she feels safe for a bit. Just trust me on this, okay?"

 

Still taken aback, Bob sat on the cot and rearranged Sam gently so that she was tucked up under his chin. "This is what we end up doing most nights," he mused softly and I nodded. "She's always so tired."

 

"I know. It takes exhaustion to get her off this damn base. Sometimes she's hard to get personal with."

 

We smiled together in unification over this chimera of a woman and the genuine affection between us.

 

++Pat++

 

If I'd been surprised when the K9 corps wanted to pair me off with a dog, I'd been even more shocked as to why. Officers were rarely, if ever, K9 units, but the SGC was looking for people who were adaptable and not a little off the wall. Not generally the type of folk you find in uniform. My past of esoteric ideas regarding science and humanity had caught somebody's attention enough to get me assigned to this prime spot. That somebody of course was the ever lovely and observant Jolynne. My brief stint as a K9 all those years ago when she'd been barely out of boot camp was still stored in her amazing memory. I still remembered the pain of my poor Rocky convulsing in his death throes from inhaling most of the broken bag of cocaine he'd been so proud to find in the smuggler's suitcase. Years later, I could still feel and hear and smell his agony and fear. It hadn't been easy for me to take on sweet young Turtle and this bizarre task set before us. It had been a mad couple of days here, learning the bare bones of want we needed to know about Gate travel and the aliens the SGC had encountered. Most of our time had been spent getting the dogs used to the idea of the stresses of being in a wormhole. All the freezing CO2 gas and sound and light shows seemed silly to me, but then again…

 

Blinking back to present, I snapped to attention along with the others. General Hammond eyed us all sternly, but there was a sparkle of pleasure in his eyes. "Sergeant Goldston, it is my honor and pleasure in instating your team officially as the Stargate Dogs. Your teamwork and expertise will be invaluable to what we are trying to accomplish here. Welcome to your first command soldier."

 

Art grinned widely as she saluted the General before shaking his hand. It really didn't faze me that she was put in command of the rest of us. Art had been through the Stargate and been through things that the rest of us could only dream about. But not for long. As Hammond pulled out a patch and regally applied it to the Velcro circle on Art's right shoulder, I eyed the piles of gear awaiting us. Once this informal ceremony was over, we were finally going through the Gate!

 

Manny was next, snapping off a stiff salute before thrusting out his shoulder for the coveted patch. I'd seen the design in a computer sketch yesterday and loved it. Just like all the SG teams, it was a blown-up image of one of the Stargate's chevrons with the upper arch of the Gate above it. Instead of a number, there was Cooper's silhouette in honor of the first Military Working Dog through the Gate. Frank was barely able to keep himself from bouncing like a kid waiting in line at the mall to meet Santa. Of all of us, I think he was the most eager to Jump. Spaceman indeed.

 

"Major O'Connor," Hammond smiled under his salute and shook my hand before adding the patch to my arm and I couldn't help but preen a little just as the others were subtly doing. We were unique in our positions. Unique on earth and maybe in the whole universe! Jolynne was congratulated and patched as well and Hammond stepped away to flash a truly warm grin. "Well, what are you waiting for? Davis!"

 

A tinny voice came over the Gateroom's speakers as a spectacled man in the control room above straightened up. "Yes sir?"

 

"Start dialing."

 

"Yes sir."

 

While I'd seen the Stargate dial out yesterday, I had a feeling watching up close like this would be far more impressive than from the comparative safety of the Control Room. The dogs waited patiently in a furry line up while we struggled into our backpacks and retrieved our ordinance from the waiting guards. While this place we were going was considered a safe world, we were all suited up to expect anything.

 

"Now don't be too rough on those boys," I heard Colonel Makepeace teasing Art as he gallantly helped her shrug into her pack. "You might scare 'em home to their mommies."

 

"Hardy har har," Art scoffed at him and they laughed together. "Hey Teal'c."

 

The big Jaffa had strode in with Staff Weapon in hand and suited up to Jump. "Greetings Sergeant Goldston and congratulations on your increased responsibility."

 

"You always do have a way with words Teal'c, thanks."

 

There was a skeptical eyebrow raised and the small woman behind him grinned. I noticed that there were no rank tabs or patches on her cammies. "Members of the Stargate Dogs, may I introduce Doctor Farazell. She will be accompanying us on the upcoming safe Jump." 

 

Any acknowledgement to the introduction was halted by a massive 'kawhoosh' of sound that accompanied that great watery effect. Despite myself, I flinched in response and watched the mass of energy settle placidly into the rippling event horizon

 

"So let's do this," Doctor Farazell grinned wolfishly and clutched her MP90 closer to her chest.

 

"Teal'c, you first," Art instructed. "Pat, if you'd take point with him. Make sure you all keep your partners on a short leash; the first ride is always rough. Frank, you take Jo and Doctor Farazell. Manny, you're with me at the rear."

 

With a chorus of affirmation, we stepped through.

 

## Another Year Gone 

## Day 14 

 

++Sam++

 

(8-28-99)

 

"You have a choice," Art's voice suddenly startled me. When I turned she was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest and flanked by two of her new K9s. Only two days after being officially commissioned as the Stargate Dogs and they were already part of the family. 

 

"A choice?" I parroted uncertainly.

 

"Come with me now and let me and some friends spoil you for your birthday, or…" she trailed off ominously and I felt anticipation and dread. There was too much for me to do! I couldn't just leave for the night, even if it was my birthday.

 

"Or?"

 

"Or," she said with dangerous blandness. "I have these two carry you out. Your choice."

 

She wouldn't dare! I'd pull rank on her! A glance at O'Connell's smirk and the gold oak leaves on his uniform struck that idea dead. I'd appeal to her sympathy. The concern and Greek stubbornness in her dark blue eyes sent that idea the way of the first one. Then I realized that I was tired and drained and lonely. In a second, Art was wrapped around me in a hug that I gratefully returned.

 

"Come with me Sam. You know O'Neill would kick your ass if you missed your birthday. One night of alcohol and hedonism. He'd be proud."

 

Half laughing at her choice of words and half sobbing, I let her sling an arm around my neck and take me from my prison of a lab. I wish I had the words to tell her what she meant to me. What her friendship and support meant to my sanity and heart. But all I could do was cling to her suffocating-tight as we left the SGC under the protective watch of man and dog.

 

++Karen++

 

It had been like trying to persuade Saint Peter to let a sinner past the pearly gates, getting Doc Fraiser to let me attend Sam's birthday party. The poor woman had looked so wounded lately and the whole damn lot of us were determined to make her feel better or die trying. O'Malley's was the best steakhouse in the state of Colorado and they had gone out of their way when we had given them a partially fabricated reason for Sam's pain. There were balloons and streamers and a cake, just like being a kid again. It was a shame Doc Farazell wasn't here. Not only did I think she was fascinating, but I wanted to meet this kid of hers that I'd heard snippets of. There was a picture of an adorable infant on her desk, but I'd gotten the impression that Emily was a bit older now.

 

There was a ruckus as Daniel bounced back in from the foyer, shouting, "she's here!"

 

Knowing that the Doc was watching me, I slid lower in my seat to appear nonchalant. I was to be the bait so that the others could hide. Once settled into a position that cradled my heavy plaster arm, I picked up my orange juice and scowled at it. No booze for me tonight. I was still a gimp and on meds.

 

The door swung open and Art shoved Sam through, both of them grinning. The pale blue eyes came to rest on me where I raised my glass in toast, the delight in them deepening. Leave it to Sam to be happy to see just a couple of pals come out to spend her birthday with her. In a moment, she had called out my name and come over to give a warm and extremely careful hug. While my broken arm and lingering bruises appreciated the care, I was disappointed that I didn't get to feel her lanky body against mine. Ah well, at least she smelled good. "Thanks for being here," she whispered in my ear and I tightened my one-armed hold.

 

"Wouldn't miss it," I told her honestly and gave the signal behind her back.

 

"SURPRISE!"

 

It was quite the deafening racket and my body objected to the jostling as Sam jumped and half spun around in response to the mass shout. Warm laughter rolled over us and I gave Sam another squeeze, this time in reassurance. Half the SGC was there, and the bulk that weren't had signed the card resting under my sling. "Happy Birthday, Sam," I told her warmly and she squeezed my encircling arm as the horde descended.

 

++Sam++

 

I stared at the gift certificate in my hands and then flashed Karen a puzzled look. We'd never been close exactly, but the big woman was so much a fixture in my life and my career that I took her for granted. Since the day I'd stepped into the SGC all those years ago, Karen never seemed to be more than an arm's reach away. "Pampered people?"

 

The crowd laughed at my tone and Karen just grinned. "It's a spa south of Denver." Her expression suddenly became implacable, chasing off the pain. "When O'Neill gets home, because we all know how he hates to miss the Simpsons, I'm taking you there myself for a day off. Okay?"

 

"Deal," I smiled and gave her a careful hug.

 

There was a chunky box held out to me by a grinning Mac. "The guys sent me out to pick something out for you because I'm the token girl and they were to chickenshit to do it themselves. Hope you like it." The Marines taunted her as I took the box and she flopped down among them again.

 

"It's heavy," I grinned and set it on the counter near Karen's broken arm. Once the paper was half off, I started laughing and batted my eyelashes at SG3. "Awww guys, you shouldn't have." Then I yanked off the last of the paper and they burst into laughter and groans. "I've always wanted a 3-D power sander!"

 

"That's what you get for trying to chuck stereotypes at me," Mac mocked her teammates.

 

"Actually, it really is a great gift. It'll come in handy once I can get back to my bike." Melancholy crept over me again, I missed O'Neill so fiercely, but I shook it off. Art was right; he'd kick my ass if I didn't have fun tonight. As though sensing the thought, Teal'c stepped in close and I looked up at him. Once the second-in-command of our most bitter alien enemy, Teal'c had turned on his false gods and stood with us. None of us had ever regretted accepting him as a family member.

 

"While I do not wish to remind you of Colonel O'Neill's loss, Major Carter, I was made aware some time ago that he had acquired this item for the express purpose of gifting it to you. It required some hunting at his personal domicile, but I was able to find it as well as this." A large box wrapped loosely in a plastic bag was set in front of me, as well as a colorful birthday card, not even in its envelope. My hands shook as I took the items from Teal'c and opened the card that had a goofy cartoon coyote howling up at the night sky. Inside was O'Neill's distinctive handwriting.

 

'So that you can always go look at the stars. –Jack,' it read. I never called him Jack; it would have felt too weird. I pulled away the plastic bag the item had obviously come in; amused that Teal'c had unsurprisingly missed the subtleties of birthdays. It was a telescope. A really nice one. I could probably see Abydos with this thing.

 

"Wow," I breathed, absolutely touched by the gift and wishing that O'Neill could see my face. "Remind me to thank him."

 

"I will," Teal'c assured me gravely. "Major Carter, I have always been appreciative of your skills as both a scholar and a warrior. Consider this a token of my esteem." From his pocket came a knife. Unsheathed it was a big, chunky, cleanly made blade with a good, solid hardwood handle. Beautiful and functional. I loved it.

 

"Thank you Teal'c," I grinned at him. "I'll treasure it."

 

A regal head nod and that familiar glint of emotion in his eye was reply enough as Teal'c returned to his seat beside Art. Janet had been unable to get the night off, but sent my gift along with Cass. From my old pal was a hand designed gift certificate for a hand-cooked meal of my choice, and a bottle of perfume that smelled spicy and a little naughty. Cass gave me a suffocating hug and handed me what felt like a picture frame. "Happy birthday Sam." I missed the girl and made a mental note to make some time for her, despite the pressure of rescuing O'Neill.

 

"Thanks Cassandra, let's see what I have here," I thanked her as I tore open the package and studied it. It was a sheet of paper with her handwriting in neat math problems covering it. I automatically noted the trigonometry problems. Then the 100% scrawled in red across the top.

 

"My first one," Cass explained with a grin. "Because neither of us would give up." It held double meaning as we both remembered that I returned for her when I was supposed to leave her to face death alone. I hadn't been able to do it, and returned to her at the risk of my own life. This child had been rigged by the Goa'uld to be a human bomb; they had been so intent on destroying earth. It had thankfully failed and now we had Cass to love. 'To my teacher, my role-model, my hero and my friend.' It read and I squeezed Cass tight.

 

"This is the best," I told sincerely. "I'll hang this up where I can see it all the time. I'm really proud of you."

 

"Thanks Sam. Looks like the dogs have something for you."

 

I turned to have Art toss something small and furry at me. It was a plush German Shepherd with soulful eyes and silky fur. The stuffy wore a military green collar with a tag that read 'Carter's'. I grinned with delight as I noticed the other K9's clustered around another plush, this one life-sized and surprisingly realistic looking among their dogs. "So we'll always be with you," Art explained. "Junior there is for your lab on base and the big guy is for that cool house of yours."

 

There were a few other gifts from other people on base, a gift from my brother that Art had pulled out of my mail. All the warmth and appreciation from these people really did make me feel better, a temporary reprieve from the torturous months of researching and building the particle accelerator that I had to look forward to. 

 

A new arrival caught our attention, as Darya walked in and we all hollered hello. With her was a small child that peered at all of us shyly. "Hi Sam," the woman greeted me, handing over a brightly colored bag. "I managed to pull myself away from an obligation to come see you. Happy birthday. I have to tell you that Emily here really wanted to keep your gift for herself. We'll have to get a pair for her, right sweetie?" The child gave me a shy peek and hid again.

 

"Thanks Darya," I smiled, intrigued by the girl. "And thank you Emily."

 

"It's fragile, be careful."

 

Intrigued, I peeked into the bag and saw what appeared to be a small cage. Now I was truly curious and set the bag down to crouch and smile at Emily. She smiled back hesitantly as I reached into the bag and pulled the cage out carefully. It took a second for the animals inside to stick their noses out from the little plastic igloo inside. "They're adorable," I breathed as I recognized the whiskered faces. One was white-bodied with a black hood and a broken stripe down its back, the other all gold. The curious baby rats came to the bars to sniff my fingers, the black hooded one actually licking my skin and touching me with light, sharp claws.

 

"They're both girls, so you won't be up to your eyeballs in kittens," Darya explained indulgently as stood with my prize.

 

"They're great," I enthused as I went over to Karen to set the cage on the table and pop the top open. Both of the babies ducked away when my hand entered their domain and I waited patiently or them to come out and explore. A small, warm presence at my hip made me glance to see that Emily had sidled over to watch the rats. Just as I was doing with the tiny additions to my lonely life, I was patient and let Emily warm up to me if she wanted to. The child smiled at me just as the little black hooded came out to explore my hand.

 

"Puppies?" Emily asked softly and I grinned.

 

"Yep, just babies. I guess I need to give them names, right?"

 

"Uh huh," she nodded seriously. "Puppies like nannas. 'Kay?"

 

"Okay, I can remember that. Thanks Emily."

 

Her duties to the 'puppies' discharged, Emily returned to her mother. Karen leaned in to peer at my new pets and smiled lopsided. "They're cute," she commented and flashed an evil, mischievous look at SG3. "And better company than the Marines I'll bet."

 

"Smarter too," Mac deadpanned and the Marines just rolled their eyes.

 

++Daniel++

 

I was having second thoughts about my gift. All night Sam had been vacillating between happy and sad. "What do you think Jack?" I asked my missing teammate quietly and pulled the small present from my pocket.

 

'Quit yer bitchin',' I could almost hear him growl affectionately. 'She'll know what it means.'

 

Poor Jack, so madly in love with her that he could barely deal with or without her. Someone was suddenly in my personal space, two slender, pale hands covering my fingers and the present held by them. I didn't need to look up to see who it was. I knew her like an extension of my own soul. Felt utterly incomplete without her and Jack and Teal'c close at hand.

 

"You look so melancholy," Sam whispered with her pain roughening her voice.

 

"Just miss him," I explained, knowing that she knew exactly how I felt. Then I shifted our hands around so that the present was held between hers, my hands cradling them. "I don't even remembering taking this shot, but I've carried it around in my pocket as long as I can remember. Look at it."

 

Hands shaking and pale eyes damp, Sam tore the wrapping paper carefully away. The gift was wrong side up and she hesitated, staring deep into my eyes for a long time. Then she flipped it over and stared at it.

 

I'd carried it for so long that the image was forever burned into my mind. A battered rectangle of laminated photo paper bearing a cherished memory. It was Jack, grinning like a complete idiot, flashing a thumb's up at my camera, his free arm wrapped around Sam's neck, hugging her chokingly tight, her forehead against his jaw with an indulgent smile on her face. Teal'c was just behind and to the side of them with his eyebrow raised and, to the experienced observer, distinctly amused. All of them ready to step through the Stargate, glowing faintly just out of the sight of the camera. It was my favorite memory of us, happy and together. Strong and whole and healthy and raring to go.

 

"Every time one of us has been hurt or missing or brainwashed or whatever," I explained softly as Sam's eyes flooded. "I've always remembered the way we are in this picture. Us at our best. Keep it, and it'll help you bring him home."

 

And when she hugged me suffocating-tight and sobbed quietly, I knew I had gotten it just right.

 

++Art++

 

"Nervous?"

 

"Terrified," I answered Cassie's question honestly as I slung the electric guitar across my torso. "You ready?"

 

"As I'll ever be."

 

"Okay then, Jo's waiting for us. C'mon."

 

Struggling with terror and memories, I stepped out onto O'Malley's little stage and squinted into the bright lights. "Hey guys," I said into the mike as the crowd quieted and gave me their attention. "This is kind of an unusual gift, and I'll explain why." My palms were dry and my uniform shirt wet with nerves. How the hell my voice was stable was beyond my comprehension. "We're all born to a family and sometimes things go wrong. The last time I really performed in front of a crowd, and drunken karaoke doesn't count Jo, I was fifteen and my eldest brother was getting married." Gentle chuckles rippled across the room and Jo flashed me a bittersweet smile from the piano. She knew what was coming. "My parents were so proud they cried. I'll always hold that memory dear because only a few months later they were killed in a car accident. Cassandra lost everything she'd ever known and Sam was the first link to the new family she's made here. She asked me to do this and there's no way I could refuse. Samantha Carter, you are kind, accomplished, brave and brilliant. You're also the best damn friend any girl could ever ask for."

 

And with that sentiment, I nodded to Jolynne and we launched into a song I'd loved since the day I'd first heard it. Most of the tracks were carried by a programmed keyboard atop the piano Jo was playing with me picking up the primary electric guitar riffs. The crowd roared in approval at the bouncy tune pouring from the speakers and I forced my voice past the nerves choking me.

 

"Doctors have come from distant cities, just to see me. 

Stand over my bed, disbelieving what they're seeing. 

They say I must be one of the wonders of God's own creation.

And as far as they see they can offer no explanation. 

 

Newspapers ask intimate questions, want confessions. 

They reach into my head to steal the glory of my story.

They say I must be one of the wonders of God's own creation.

And as far as they see they can offer no explanation.

 

Ooo, I believe. 

Fate smiled at destiny. 

Laughed as she came to my cradle, know this child will be able. 

Laughed as my body she lifted, know this child will be gifted. 

With love, with patience, and with faith. 

She'll make her way. 

She'll make her way.

 

People see me I'm a challenge to your balance.

I'm over your heads; I confound you and astound you too.

Oh, I must be one of the wonders of God's own creation.

And as far as they see they can offer no explanation.

Ooo, I believe. 

Fate smiled at destiny. 

Laughed as she came to my cradle, know this child will be able. 

Laughed as she came to my mother, know this child will not suffer.

Laughed as my body she lifted, know this child will be gifted.

With love, with patience, and with faith. 

She'll make her way. 

She'll make her way…"

 

And, as Daniel whirled a sobbing Sam into a gentle waltz around the dance floor, I knew that my sacrifice was well appreciated by all.

 

**To be continued…**

 

 

 

P.S. My sincere thanks to Natalie Merchant as a talented songsmith for creating the amazing tune of 'Wonder'. It struck me as suiting Sam all to well. 

 


	11. The Families We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever made a foolish mistake that turned out for the best?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: PG. Beware of serious mush here.
> 
> Pairings: Art and Janet, to the nth degree!

**Day 19**

 

++Janet++

 

(9-2-99)

 

"Should I congratulate you?"

 

The words ran through my head like a skipping CD, his hesitant grin frozen in my mind's eye. 

 

Pregnant?

 

That was impossible… 

 

Hysteria was threatening to short circuit my brain and Warner's small grin crumpled like tissue paper in the rain. 

 

"Janet?" He questioned gently. "Are you okay?"

 

Okay? Okay?!?! What kind of stupid question was that? Of course I wasn't okay….

 

Waitaminute… how in the hell could I be pregnant?

 

At last a problem my stunned logical brain could grab onto while my lizard brain ran in panicked circles. Pregnant… but being pregnant would require a male…

 

Again my eyes rounded and Warner actually took a step forward as though concerned I would collapse. 

 

Art…

 

Oh god…

 

++Art++

 

"Bandito! Here! Sit. Stay." It had been a long session, and he was just not paying attention. A small whine escaped the dog and Manny fired me a sharp look that made me glare right back. "Fine you two, call it a day. Dismissed."

 

"You okay?" Manny questioned as he gestured Bandito back to his side.

 

"I'm just tired. Sorry to be short with him."

 

" _De nada_ , he's a big boy. You need a break _homie._ "

 

"You're right. See you tomorrow. Bye Bandito."

 

" _Adios, amiga._ "

 

A few minutes passed while I sat at my little desk and stared blankly at my paperwork. Then Lucky's head came up and drew my eye to the door. "Doctor Warner, good evening. What can I do for you?"

 

Then his expression registered and a fluttery, panicked feeling stirred to life. "I need you to come with me Sergeant. Now."

 

"Is there something wrong?"

 

But he wouldn't answer, merely walking out and leaving me to hurry after him. Even in the elevator he just stared at the doors with a pensive look on his face and I held my tongue. At the Infirmary, Warner pointed to a closed door and spoke to me very quietly. His eyes were deadly serious and not a little stunned. "Janet's in there, she asked for you."

 

And with that tight comment, he shoved me through the door and closed it firmly behind him.

 

In a glance, I took in Janet's teary, shell-shocked face and the way she hugged herself tightly in distress. Praying there were no cameras, I leapt over to wrap her in a crushing embrace. She clung to my neck with the strength of a drowning woman and all I could do was stroke and soothe her while I waited for an explanation to assuage my worry.

 

I didn't hear her the first time, just the whisper of her voice on my skin. "What is it love?" I queried softly and she trembled in my hold.

 

"I'm pregnant."

 

Those two words froze the universe around me. How the hell…

 

Who?

 

How!?!?!

 

Janet must have felt the sudden tension in my body and soul as the shock and fear blasted through me. I didn't want to imagine Janet with some man, but my own fear dredged up insecurities that made me feel queasy. Then her fingers were on my chin, tilting my face down until our panicked gazes met.

 

"It's yours." Now I was just plain confused, but pleasantly soothed by her gentle touch on my cheeks. "It somehow has to be yours. You're the only lover I've had since coming to this mountain Art. I would never cheat on you, I swear."

 

Could she have read all that in just my expression alone? Stupid question… "But how?"

 

"I don't know, but I'll bet it has something to do with the Healing Device. I know the grenade rendered you sterile, but one ova is still intact. So…"

 

Shit.

 

There was a long pause and she smiled in response to the gleam of perverse humor in my eye. "So this is all Sam's fault?"

 

Our mingled laughter was a much-needed relief and Lucky's soft whining changed from worried to relieved. After patting my partner reassuringly, I flopped into a chair and held Janet close. When we calmed there was another pause while we gathered our thoughts.

 

"I'm scared, Art. They'll find out about us and…" Janet couldn't finish the thought.

 

"So am I, but they'd be idiots to let you go," I reassured. "And you know it."

 

"But…"

 

"No buts," I cut her off gently and placed a finger over her lips. "We're in this together. Period. There's nothing in this world or any others with a damn Stargate that will keep me from your side." Janet threw herself around me with a suffocating grip, and I happily squeezed back. "We'll get through this Jan, I love you and I'll stick by your side no matter what, I swear."

 

It felt profoundly strange to hold her with the lab coat between us, but I studiously ignored the feeling. We talked quietly about what had happened until we were fairly certain we had the progression of events correct. Again, I assured her I would stick with her, she was more important to me than anything had meant to me in longer than I could think of. Somehow we would work around Lucky and Cassandra.

 

Then came a knock on the door and we froze. It was time to face the music and we knew it. Janet shook like a leaf against me and I dragged her into a kiss that reached so deep into my soul that I knew that we would never really be apart. We clung for long moments before coming up for air. Gently, with shaking hands, I wiped away the tear tracks and tried to fix her ruined makeup as her beloved healer's hands brushed away the lingering wet on my own cheeks. One last gentle kiss on her forehead and I pressed our clasped hands to her heart.

 

"I'll be right here. You understand that? My heart is yours," I whispered fiercely and she nodded.

 

"You too my love. Right here."

 

A quick brush of our hands over my sternum and she turned to walk with stiff dignity out the door. I was only a step behind her, painfully conscious of every lingering set of eyes. Sergeant Davis looked profoundly uncomfortable as he regarded us. "General Hammond sent me to get you, Captain. Sergeant."

 

"Lead the way," Janet replied in what was almost a normal tone, except for that distinct quaver…

 

++Janet++

 

It was the longest walk of my life, the painfully familiar route between the Infirmary and the Control Room. My eyes touched everything, lingered on every familiar face and doorway and curve in the concrete halls. This must be how the condemned felt, forced to walk with feigned dignity to their fate. Everything I'd worked for… all these people I'd grown to care about. The lump in my throat threatened to choke me even as tears obliterated my vision. 

 

I was shaking so hard that I nearly tripped climbing the stairs and only Art's quick hand on my lower back steadied me enough to continue. A gentle reminder that I wasn't alone. I hoped that one day I could adequately thank her for her love and dedication. The walk across the neutral carpet to Hammond's door was a thousand miles across a burning desert…

 

In all of this, one glaringly obvious thing had escaped me in those crazed minutes while my mind ran in screaming, panicked circles. 

 

I was pregnant. 

 

There was new life within me, created under the weirdest of circumstances by my dearest love and I. At the door, I stared at the woodgrain and really let that epiphany sink in.

 

A baby. With Art's black curls and my brown eyes. The thought was a sudden ray of powerful hope and I straightened up a bit with its strength. At Davis' knock, Hammond's voice roared out, "get in here Captain!"

 

And I stepped alone into the line of fire.

 

The look on the man's face made me tear up again, the pain in me like a knife. Good God, he looked so disappointed. 

 

"Would you care to explain this to me? No, don't bother. By the looks of it, you were experimenting with one of your patients!" Suddenly, he was looming over me with anger and disappointment etched into every muscle of his body. I could only cower like a frightened animal while he ranted. "This is the kind of bullshit I expect from someone like Jack, but you Janet? You know better than this! What exactly am I supposed to tell my superiors? The Joint Chiefs of Staff? The President? Do you have any idea how bad of a position you've put all of us in?!"

 

There was more hurled my way, but my intellect shut down. There had been too many shocks to my system, and I crumpled to my knees to sob hysterically… 

 

It was over. I had let everyone down and now there would be hell to pay.

 

++Art++

 

I could hear his voice thunder through the heavy wood while every protective bone in my body was howling to break down that hateful slab of lumber and defend what was mine. Then abruptly Lucky was pressed against my hand. Some of the flood receded as I clutched her fine ruff in a death grip and she pressed, whimpering in sympathy, into my hip and thigh. Footsteps on the stairs brought Bob into my vision and I vaguely tried to scrub away the tears pooling in the corner of my eyes. There were no words, only the empathetic pain in his gaze. Then the door opened and I flinched to attention under the General's laser glare. "Get in here Sergeant. Somebody needs you."

 

Then I heard the sobbing and snapped into instinctive mode. Janet was in my arms, clinging to me with the strength of a drowning woman. My heart was shattering as her pain and confusion washed over me, spilt wet over my skin. Strangling down my own emotions as best I could, I pet and soothed her; desperate to bring her back from the horrible place she had fled to. Lucky pressed into us both, whining and licking in reassurance… and slowly, achingly slowly, Janet began to return to sanity. 

 

Gasping and panting, Janet began to respond to the nonsense reassurance I was murmuring into her hair. This wasn't over yet and I forced myself to gather up her shaking body into my arms and stand. There was something in my eyes that made both men back down for at least the moment. A nuzzle in the auburn hair focused her attention, even as she remained with her face buried in my neck. "Jan love, I need you to go with Bob and Lucky. Please. They'll take you to the Infirmary, _ahgahpee mou_ , and stay with you." 

 

A feral glower into Bob's startled gaze assured that he would, indeed, do just that. Janet's doe eyes rose to mine and I kissed her softly on the nose. Foreheads pressed together, we spent a long moment beneath the gazes of those who could ruin us before she found that poignant strength I so admired. When her small weight transferred to Bob's strong arms and he walked away, I felt my heart and soul follow.

 

"Lucky," I whispered in a strangled tone. "Guard Janet. Go."

 

For a long moment she stared at me with those fathomless eyes before turning and trotting after her other alpha. Only then did George Hammond speak, his voice low and rough. "Wait out here Sergeant, until I call for you."

 

"Yes sir," I breathed completely out of habit.

 

++Janet++

 

Consciousness returned with a start that took even Lucky off guard. I was halfway upright before a very startled Bob Makepeace grabbed me by the shoulders. "Hey! Whoa. Down girl."

 

"Bob?" I rasped blankly.

 

"Yeah. You okay?"

 

"All things considered, I've been better."

 

There was a long, uncomfortable silence while I stared at the door and wished Art was there with an ache that was actually painful. What was happening to her? _Ahgahpee mou_ , my love _._ The familiar Greek endearment brought a bittersweet smile to my lips and tears to my eyes. Had I ever cried so much in my life?

 

"How long?" Bob asked in a gentle tone.

 

"Almost six months," was my hollow response and he looked surprised.

 

"God, I had no clue…"

 

"That was the idea."

 

"I'm sorry Janet. Really, truly sorry."

 

There was a sudden ruckus outside, culminating in a wild-eyed Sam bursting through the door. It took only the briefest glance before she knew that we had been found out and the flood burst over me again. "Oh Janet," she groaned and rushed over to hold me tight. Thank whatever forces watched over us that I had them while I waited for the ax to fall.

 

# The Waiting Is the Hardest Part…

 

It was rare that Darya let me go without lecture or comment. This time it seemed as though my expression was enough to silence even her mothering tendencies. Sandwiched in her and Sam's strong arms, some of the suffocating emotions receded enough for me to breathe more easily. Neither spoke to me, for which I was grateful as my upper brain was currently out to lunch. Even so, it felt like an eternity passed before the door clicked open to reveal Art wearing that expression that people get when they've just dodged the proverbial bullet. Or the literal one. Much to my shock and relief, she immediately shouldered past Dare and Sam to greet me with a long, loving kiss that left me feeling much better about the universe in general. 

 

"He-ey," she breathed my traditional greeting across my lips and I was further shocked to find myself actually smiling. "This is gonna sound crazy, but I have good news."

 

My voice ruined from so many tears, I could only shake my head in confusion. Our friends were staring open-mouthed at the unconcealed affection between us. When Hammond's voice spoke in that fatherly tone, I glanced at him in surprise. "It seems that President Bartlett was willing to make an exception to the rule for the sake of the child and the SGC."

 

"Sir?" I squeaked in a strangled tone and sought out Art's soft gaze again.

 

"They know about us. Unfortunately, it seems like half of the people in the US government probably know by now. But they knew they had to keep you and so they pulled together this weird ass legal document, that makes everything okay." There was a rustle of fax paper in her hand and she continued to ramble. "I don't fully understand it, but Major Davis does and he's the Pentagon liaison for the SGC, but you knew that of course and… " Under different circumstances seeing my self-controlled Art so flustered would have been hugely amusing. "We have to be discrete of course, but we can stay and everything's gonna be okay with Cass and the dogs and SG1 and everything."

 

It was just beginning to sink in and I lifted a shaking hand to press it to her lips. "Really?"

 

"Yes, _ahgahpee mou_." Abruptly, she gave me a quick kiss and straightened briefly to shove the battered papers into Sam's hands. Then she dropped onto one knee and pulled a gold band I had never seen before from one finger. "Janet Fraiser, will you marry me? Spend the rest of our lives together with that child? _Parakalo_? Please?"

 

Some little part of my brain huffed in irritation as darkness danced around the corners of my vision. Really, how many of these emotional hurricanes could I weather in such a short time? They all jumped at me, Darya and Sam steadying me as deep breathing chased off the faint. "You mean it?"

 

If anyone in the room still doubted the relationship, the kiss Art seduced me with blew that out of the water. For eternal moments I forgot all about the supporting hands of my friends, the SGC, the universe in general, as I drank her in. Then I allowed only enough space between us to breathe out my adoration to her.

 

"Yes, my love. It's all I ever wanted."

 

++Art++

 

The startled and warm congratulations went in one ear and out the other, for my brain and heart were too full to pay any attention to anything but Janet's shaky smile. She said yes! The earlier stresses of the day drained away, leaving me euphoric and grinning like a complete idiot. After a long, shocked minute, Darya imperiously shoved everyone out the door and suddenly I was alone with my darling. Janet gave a delighted giggle when I swept her into my arms and pressed butterfly kisses to her cute nose.

 

"Is this really happening?" She asked and I kissed her deeply again. How damn good it felt, to share affection while still in uniform.

 

"I hardly believe it myself, but I spoke to the President himself. I think once the shock of all this wears off, I'm going to have a nice nervous breakdown."

 

"Mmm, please don't. If they lock you up, who'll keep me warm at night?"

 

That made me chuckle and flop down onto the hospital bed. We melted together, exhausted from our emotional afternoon and I watched her toy absently with the simple, etched gold band I had given her earlier. It was distinctly a woman's ring, but it was large enough that it only fit Janet's middle finger. "Where did you come up with this ring out of the blue?"

 

"Hmm? Oh. Believe it or not, Taylor caught the tail end of what was going on and pulled this off and shoved it into my hands with a 'good luck', so it's kind of from the whole SGC."

 

"You're serious?"

 

"Absolutely. I thought it was a nice gesture." She hummed quietly in agreement and snuggled up closer under my chin. When she spoke again, her words struck me like a thunderbolt.

 

"A baby," came the whisper and my heart pounded. In all the excitement, I had almost begun to forget about that. With her safely pressed to my chest, real and reassuring and loving, I carefully examined that thought. A baby… with her depthless eyes and heart-shattering smile, and my curly hair and dark skin… 

 

I was going to be a… 

 

Father. 

 

Weird. Wonderful, but totally weird.

 

There would be a child to call me _babas,_ as I had once called my own father. I suddenly missed my family with a desperate ache only made worse with the knowledge that I could never tell my siblings the truth. My parents never had the chance to meet any of their grandkids, had seen only Cory reach full maturity. But balanced with that pain was the child. What a weird and wonderful thought.

 

"Wow," I breathed and Janet kissed my throat lingeringly. "A baby. Wow."

 

I knew I was repeating myself like an idiot, but honestly didn't care. A long while passed while we were content with one another's presence and this new reality between us.

 

"Jan?" I finally asked softly.

 

"Mmm?"

 

"I love you."

 

Little woman or no little woman, she could dish out suffocating hugs like a 300-pound Marine. "I love you too."

 

# Tie the Knot

**Day 22**

 

(9-5-99)

 

"This is worse than I felt before the Healing Device," I grumbled pathetically and Bob just patted my shoulder.

 

"Sucks to be you. Now buck up. You beat the odds girl, broke the rules, thumbed your nose at the lawmakers. This is going to be a tough one to beat."

 

"No kidding. I think I'd have to bring Apophis in on a little teeny leash and teach him to sit up and beg for his dinner to one up myself."

 

Together we laughed and laughed, relieved to get rid of some of the tension. At last the antacids were kicking in and I braved standing up. I only weaved for a moment and Bob was kind enough not to mess with me. We quickly finished up with our military monkey suits and stood side by side at the full-length mirror.

 

"Well," I commented. "At least it fits right."

 

Having me in a man's uber-formal white mess uniform had started out as a joke, one that had stuck. How the hell someone had scared up the uniform on such short notice and get it tailored to me was a miracle. Though I had to admit I liked the snug white bolero-style jacket and black pants with their gold braiding. Hell, even my rank marks looked sharp on this getup. I could hardly wait to see Janet in her formal blues, lookin' sharp and sexy and competent. Bet Sam looked damn good too. 

 

"You do realize that you look better than I do on my own damn wedding day, you bastard," I groused half-heartedly at my Marine buddy in his pristine and distinctive formals.

 

"Artemis pal," Bob grinned and slung an arm around my shoulders. "You look great."

 

"You both look great," said a voice I wasn't honestly expecting to hear. Asking for his presence had been a boon that I'd never thought I'd actually get. Whirling, I stared at the familiar blue eyes and the mirrored smile. " _Me ehriazes, Artemis, kay eemay eh-doh_. ( _You needed me, Artemis, and I am here_.)" There was no sensation of moving, I was just suddenly in his arms to be squeezed tightly.

 

"Fin! _Ise eh-doh_ ( _You're here_ )," I sobbed and clung to him like a lifeline. It had been years since I'd spent any real time with my next-eldest sibling and was insanely glad he was here. The unreality of Phineas' presence in the top-secret SGC was easily ignored in my shock. 

 

"Barely. But your General Hammond managed to pull off clearance for me. I can't imagine what Cory and Zo must be thinking about the rapid-fire background check into me. How are you holding up?"

 

"Stressed and so nervous I think I'm gonna puke, but I'm better now that you're here. I wish they could be too."

 

"I know," he soothed and stroked my hair gently. The life of a priest suited him so well, his kind and gentle nature a blessing to all that came in contact with him. "I can hardly wait to meet this Janet of yours. Major Davis gave me the basic rundown of what happened, and only skimmed over what you do here. I don't really need to know and that's fine with me. Though you'll have to see if you can try to explain how you're the father."

 

That made Bob snort in repressed humor and I shot him a good-natured glare. "Fin, this is Colonel Robert Makepeace, a good pal of mine. Bob, this is my older brother, Father Phineas Goldston."

 

Instantly, Bob was on his best behavior, striding over to shake Fin's hand warmly. "Pleased to meet you, Father."

 

"Likewise Colonel. Now, I believe we have a wedding to attend?"

 

"Yeah," Bob enthused and shoved me towards the door. "C'mon, your destiny awaits."

 

On the familiar walk to the Gateroom, I passed up many of the personnel from the SGC. All of them had a smile or a good word. I tugged on the spotless white gloves and nervously fooled with the necktie. Bob's quick elbow in my ribs stopped the fiddling.

 

"Wow…" I breathed when I saw what they had done for us. The sterile, efficient Gateroom had been transformed with swathes of gauzy cloth and riots of flowers. "Oh yeah, Janet's gonna love this."

 

Then I saw the incongruous sight of Daniel in military dress blues, or the jacket anyway. Seeing my expression, he adjusted his glasses and crept over. My eyes scanned the coat, seeing the ribbons and medals, the Colonel's birds on the shoulders… and the familiar brass name bar with 'O'Neill' carved into it. "I wanted him to be here," Daniel explained quietly. "Even if it's only in spirit." All I could do was hug him suffocating tight.

 

"It's perfect," I told him, wrestling down my feelings so that I could get through this event with my sanity intact. Bob clapped Daniel on the shoulder, approval in his eyes.

 

Jacob had been talking quietly with Teal'c, and they both came over to us. "Well this is quite amazing," Jacob deadpanned before smiling and pulling me into a hug.

 

"Thanks for coming."

 

"Wouldn't miss it. I just hope next time it's Sam."

 

I refrained from firing Bob an ironic glance until after the older man had turned away. Then I saw a vision in blue and gold step into the Gateroom and the assembly caught its collective breath. "Damn woman, you clean up nice. Maybe I should marry you instead."

 

The embarrassed pink flush on Sam's cheeks was positively adorable. "I'm not your type, remember?" She joked wryly and I ducked around a gawking Bob to give my dearest pal a hug that wouldn't muss her. In the full-length skirt and formal blue jacket, decorated with the proof of her accomplishments and tastefully made up in true girlie fashion, Sam looked magnificent. When I told her that, she flushed a deeper red and fiddled with the lapels of my jacket. "Hard to believe this is really happening."

 

"Try being in the middle of it from my perspective."

 

"Oh, I have something for you from Janet," Sam fussed suddenly and came up with a delicate little sprig of greenery and babysbreath in which nestled a perfect blood red rosebud. "Now hold still."

 

I watched the competent hands carefully pin the boutonniere to my lapel and swallowed back happy tears. Gentle hands on my shoulders diverted my attention into grinning shakily up at Jacob. "It's time," he soothed softly.

 

++Janet++

 

"Mom? You okay?" Cassandra asked quietly and I jerked my attention back to the present. A wan smile earned a grin as I tried to focus.

 

"Just thinking," I mused as I stared at our reflections in the mirror. She hesitated only a moment before slipping both arms around my waist to hug me. "You're getting so tall," I couldn't help but comment.

 

"My father was tall," Cass said quietly, pain still threaded lightly in her tone. That pain would never leave her, was never far from her. When a child lost her family, her village, her entire world, it never went away. But I was ever so grateful that she had grown into, and was continuing to grow into, such a wonderful young woman. We made such an interesting contrast in the full-length mirror, me in my oh-so-serious formals and Cassie in her flowing white dress.

 

"I'm so glad you're here," I whispered around the lump in my throat. "I don't know what I'd do without you hon."

 

"Same here," she smiled mistily and gave me a last squeeze before becoming businesslike once more. "You ready to do this?"

 

"Ready," I replied, trying to sound less petrified than I really was.

 

At the door to the Gate Room, George Hammond awaited me. "You look radiant," he soothed and kissed my cheek. "I'm very glad all of this worked out. Thank you for this honor Janet."

 

I was too overwhelmed to speak. Yelling at me had broken his heart; the man was like a father to me. I couldn't remember feeling anyone's disapproval so keenly before. I was ever so glad that we were all good again. "I'm so glad you're doing this," I smiled softly and he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm.

 

"My pleasure. Shall we?"

 

**I See In You the One That Now Completes the Half of Me I Used to Be.**

 

++Art++

 

I felt better with Jo standing beside me, still grinning in delighted amusement at being the 'best man', and holding Lucky's leash. Daniel, Teal'c and Bob lined up beside her to stand with me. Fanned out along the other side of the ramp were Cassandra, with Cooper wedged in beside her, Darya, Betty and Mac. Anyone that meant anything to us were scattered at the base of the ramp. Karen in her new short cast, and Siler and SG17, 13, 3 and a few others I couldn't identify by sight. There was Major Davis from the Pentagon and my Stargate Dogs. Martouf of the Tok'ra had escorted Jacob in and he stuck close to the older man. There was something vaguely creepy about the intense blue eyes beneath his mop of shaggy blonde hair. Bra'tac, Teal'c's mentor, was standing with Kyle Rogers, the once-deluded young man from that first fateful mission of mine. Then Janet stepped in on Hammond's arm and I was lost all over again.

 

Even as she came to me, touched my arm, smiled adoringly at me, I was utterly unaware of my surroundings. Lost in her presence, only a stinging slap across my shoulder brought me around. "Pay attention," Sam grinned and chuckles rolled through the assembly.

 

"Sorry," I mumbled and could feel the burn of embarrassment on my cheeks and neck. Beside Sam, the Chaplain smiled and I was reassured by his presence. Reverend Gilbert rarely got to do anything happy down here at the SGC. Most of the time he was left with performing last rites over the dead that were lucky enough to come home to be buried. A wedding was a happy change. I'd interacted with him only briefly in all this time, but he'd made a wonderful first impression, warm and kind. He was standing with Sam and my brother as official witness.

 

"Family of the SGC, welcome to this historical event," Sam spoke clearly, projecting in her best 'teacher's' voice. "We are gathered here today to celebrate a union both unexpected and uplifting. You fell in love in silence and darkness, hidden from us because of rules and regulations. You produced miracles from nothing more than love and chance. Friendship turned to adoration, which turned to family. I feel honored to be your friend and to do this for you." There was a ripple of sentiment that ran through the small assembly while Sam collected her thoughts. When she smiled again, it was a warm and very personal expression. "I've known you for what seems like forever Janet, and I think we all take you so much for granted. If the project is the bones and the teams the heart, then you are the soul of this place. You've been the one thing that has pulled so many of us through so much and we'll never be able to thank you or adore you enough." Again that ripple of sentiment stirred through the room, almost physical in its intensity and Janet sniffled softly. "And you," Sam grinned evilly at me. "You are the sister I never had, the playmate I missed in childhood and the person I'd want most at my back in good times and bad. You and your dogs and your skills have made a huge contribution the SGC as well as personal friendships. I know you felt like an outsider at first, but we really do appreciate you as both a person and as a soldier." I could only swallow hard and try not to cry.

 

++Sam++

 

As awkward as I felt doing this, it was all worth it. They both looked so overwhelmed that I wished there were a way to make it easier on them. Best to just forge ahead then. "We'll have to keep this short, since the damn Gate's liable to activate at any minute." Laugher echoed in the room as I shuffled the notes I'd scrawled down. "Love conquers all is the old expression, and you two have certainly proven that. There will be rough times for you both, but you will be there for one another." Again, I was blanking out and my notes were out of order, leaving me shuffling through them awkwardly. The quiet was interminable, Art and Janet's smiles growing amused at my fumbling. Then an elbow thumped hard enough into my ribs that I squeaked in surprise and nearly dropped the whole pile of small cards. That set the crowd into twitters and I stared at Art's brother in shock. 

 

He merely soothed serenely, "relax, we don't bite."

 

"I'm not used to people paying such close attention," I stammered, embarrassed at my behavior.

 

One of the Marines called out, "it's 'cause you're not talking about scientist stuff." I gave Eric a dirty look, but the at least the tension was broken. Jo reached out to give my arm a squeeze while Karen grinned winningly and gave me a thumb up with her good hand.

 

"Is there anything I need to add?" I asked my pals curiously and they smiled even wider.

 

"You're the best Sam," Art breathed out softly and turned her attention to Janet, drawing the small woman close. "I remember the day I laid eyes on you, the shock through my system at the kindness and intelligence in your beautiful eyes, how good you were to me and Cooper. I remember the day I saw more than that, the day I knew I would take any risk for you, any chance, any gamble. I never expected you, Janet, never dreamed I'd find anyone like you. And to have you love me back? You're a miracle I will treasure for the rest of my life. You and Cassandra and the dogs and our child together."

 

Visibly shaking, Janet reached up to trace one dark cheekbone and swallowed hard. "I have no idea what to say," she finally managed to say and we all huffed in gentle sympathy. "You're so much better with words than I am. You make me feel so precious, how could I not love you? You're so decent and loving and strong and loyal. I would have given up everything but Cassie for you, but I'm really glad it didn't come down to that."

 

"Me too. _S'ahgapoh_ ( _I love you_ ) Janet"

 

" _S'ahgapoh polee_ ( _I love you too_ ) Artemis."

 

While I didn't understand the words, the sentiment was clear and Fin traded glances with the Chaplain before clearing his throat. "Artemis, Janet, you have come together with the intent of matrimony. Not only for the sake of the love between you but your children as well. This is a solemn and holy oath that binds you together this day. The rings?" It took another elbow to get me back on track

 

"Sorry," I murmured and pulled the plain white-gold bands from my pocket. Fin took them with a grin and returned to his priestly duties. Art's hand was shaking as she took one of the bands and slipped it onto Janet's finger, before gripping that hand tightly between her own.

 

"Artemis, repeat after me. I, Artemis Goldston, take you, Janet Fraiser, for my wife."

 

"I," she strained hoarsely, tears thick on her inky lashes. "Artemis Goldston, take you, Janet Fraiser, for my wife."

 

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

 

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part," Art finally managed to whisper thickly and Janet repeated those same vows in much the same way. I was sniffling along with Jo and Darya and Daniel and various others in the assembly. There was a long, intimate moment after the rings were settled that we let the happy couple ignore all of us and stare into one another's eyes. Eventually, Fin cleared his throat pointedly and Art and Janet broke their lingering eye lock to look over to him.

 

"By the power invested in me by the Greek Orthodox Church and under witness of your family, friends and the Chaplain representative of the US Military, I pronounce you husband and wife. So kiss already, will ya?"

 

Art needed no more than the teasing prodding of her brother to crouch and crush Janet's smaller body to her and kiss her senseless. The wolf whistles and catcalls grew in intensity until they both came up for air, flushed and happy. Then, on cue, the Stargate began to hum to life.

 

"Incoming wormhole!"

# After All Is Said and Done

 

++Janet++

 

After we'd all scurried out of the way of the activating Stargate, Art yanking her clueless brother after her, we'd retreated to one of the larger training rooms for an informal reception. SG7 had been quickly debriefed and sent in to join us.

 

It was almost more than my brain could fathom, but we were married. Legally, honestly, truly married. Sam and Fin had been so wonderful, officiating the ceremony with respect and irreverence. Not that I currently remembered a single word of it. It was just what Art and I had needed to cut through the bad case of nerves that we'd both been. The only thing we'd needed Reverend Gilbert for was actually overseeing the event and signing the marriage certificate below their names. 

 

Art had told me the night after she'd proposed that President Bartlett had joked about marrying us in order to thumb his nose at the establishment. Unfortunately, he had some pressing congressional meeting he needed to attend. Imagine my surprise to find Major Davis standing among those attending the ceremony, camcorder in hand. I believe his exact words had been, "The President said if I didn't get this on tape for him, I'd be scrubbing toilets for the rest of my natural life…in Siberia." It had given me a much-needed laugh, releasing a few of the thousand butterflies swarming in my stomach.

 

Fin had been brought in as cover for us, in addition to his capacity as Priest. The fabricated story was that I had been so fascinated by Art's unusual coloring that I'd asked her brother to donate the genetic material for a baby. As a man of the cloth, he hadn't done the deed of course, but it was amazing what modern medical science could perform these days. It was a flimsy cover, but it was doubtful any outsiders would see any need to dig very deep. There were details my brain was forgetting right now, but I would memorize completely at a later date.

 

"Um, Janet?" I heard from behind me. Turning, I saw Daniel standing there with a nervous smile on his face. The incongruity of his wearing O'Neill's ill-fitting dress jacket was so wonderfully appropriate to our missing man. Everyone was missing Jack, and events like this brought that into sharp focus. It was obvious that Daniel was holding something behind his back, and I quirked a curious eyebrow at him. "I, um, I have something for you."

 

"Shouldn't Art be here for this?" I had indulged my love some time alone with Jacob and Sam. It wasn't often enough that Jacob was around, and I knew how much my love appreciated the older man's presence in her life. I'd been there when she met Jacob and seen that he had basically adopted her after that first meeting. She needed Jacob and Sam's presence in her life, after losing her parents to that car accident years ago and since she so rarely saw her siblings. My hand rested over my still-flat stomach and I felt the foolish grin on my face. I was ecstatic that our child would know the love and devotion of both parents. The answering smile on Daniel's face brought me back to the moment

 

"So," I said in a mocking version of my no-nonsense work tone and rubbed my hands together in child-like anticipation. "What kind of present do you have for me?"

 

"Well, with all the dogs in the house, I thought it was time you got your own pet. Not that the dogs aren't wonderful and all, but I thought maybe you'd like something in a more manageable size. So, um…here, I hope you like her," he said, setting a package into my hands. It was a small box with holes in the sides and a simple purple bow stuck to the top. It didn't weigh all that much, probably not even a pound, and was warm to the touch where it rested on my palms. Curious, I pulled away the bow and lifted the lid.

 

"Oh, Daniel," I breathed, delighted tears blurring my eyes yet again. "This is…. Does she have a name?" Carefully, I reached into the box to scoop out the smallest, most beautiful kitten I'd ever seen; with fur the color of burnished coppery gold. Lazy with sleep, she curled easily into a ball on the palm of my hand and didn't so much as brush a finger. As I stroked velvety fur, I could feel her vibrating with a purr at odds to her tiny size.

 

"No, I thought I'd leave that up to you. I know that naming a pet is a personal thing." 

 

"I adore her, she's gorgeous. The dogs are going to think she's a snack," I chuckled lightly.

 

He felt around in the pockets of Jack's dress jacket, as if looking for something, before grinning sheepishly at me. "I left her papers in my jacket, but I'll get them to you later. She's a purebred Abyssinian."

 

With my free arm, I tugged him into a half-crouch and pressed my lips to his cheek. "Thank you so much."

 

A low chuckle took my attention from the man next to me. "Daniel, are you trying to seduce my wife away?"

 

I turned to grin broadly up at Art. "Look at what Daniel gave me, _kar'dhoola mou_ ," I said, holding my hand toward her. It was then that I noticed Jacob, Sam, and Bob had followed her over. Art rolled the kitten carefully onto her hand and brought her closer to her face with a smile. All four tiny paws were now sticking up comically in the air and she blinked slowly.

 

"What will you name her, _ahgahpee mou_?" She asked and stepped around behind me to wrap both arms around me so that we could both study the newest addition to our family.

 

"I don't know," I admitted softly. "My only pet was a lab rat I liberated back in medical school. My parents weren't big on animals."

 

"I remember," Art soothed in that exquisitely gentle, understanding tone that so often threatened to move me to tears. She had always been horrified that I had rarely known the undying adoration of companion animals.

 

"His name was Marbles," I reminisced wistfully, the kitten's tiny, warm weight taking me back. "Because I think he was a little crazy."

 

"And he was fixed," Darya chuckled as she came to stand beside Sam and handed the blonde a glass of something bubbly. "I remember him clearly, the funny beast." We joined her in gentle laughter and Art's smile deepened.

 

"Very clever," Art approved.

 

"Now, I have three dogs in my life," I smiled lovingly up at Art and stole a quick kiss. "And now a kitty." The kitten suddenly rolled over in Art's hands to let loose a luxurious stretch and yawn that showed off her impressive collection of needle-sharp little teeth and claws. Utterly charmed, I stroked her delicate head and she rubbed up eagerly against my fingers.

 

"She looks kind of like those Egyptian statues," Bob suddenly piped in.

 

Daniel distractedly answered the implied question. "The Abyssinians are descendants of the cats the ancient Egyptians once worshipped. When she's grown, she'll look just like those famous statues."

 

Indeed, she had settled onto her haunches in a sloppy imitation of those elegant ancient artifacts.

 

"You know," Jacob commented, "she does look like a tiny little gold carving. Or she will anyway."

 

We all chuckled as he tacked on that last sentence due to the kitten tumbling ungracefully across Art's hand and flashing us all a bemused look. It reminded all of us of Sam's expression when forced to change mental gears too quickly.

 

A broad smirk crossed Art's face at that. "Thanks Dad. You just gave me a good idea." She met my gaze as she let the kitten clamber back onto my hand, and I couldn't miss the devilish gleam in her dark blue eyes. "How does Kree sound?"

 

I laughed delightedly at her joke utilizing the frightening Goa'uld word, but shook my head. "No, that's not quite right," I mused, and noted that Teal'c and Bra'tac had joined us as well. When my hand halted its distracted stroking of the kitten's scruff and ears, she boldly reached up to hook my wandering fingers with surprisingly agile paws and rasp her rough, tickly tongue over my skin. It tickled like few other things that had ever touched my sensitive fingertips, and her tiny claws lightly caught at the backs of my fingers.

 

"Momma's cat," Art chuckled lovingly and nuzzled my ear. "Bold and flirtatious. I like her. She has good taste."

 

We all laughed again and the kitten eyed us with friendly imperiousness. "I've got it," I grinned. "How about Jaffa?'"

Teal'c's eyebrow rose in his usual manner of inquisitiveness, and Bra'tac stared first at Art, then at me, for a long moment before reaching out to glide a single fingertip across the kitten's spine. Her purring spiked up in volume and he chuckled. "She rumbles in the manner of a powerful engine, as if her size is no deterrent to her desires, like the fiercest of warriors for her cause. She resembles her owner in that respect." I blushed at his compliment, unable to voice a thank you. "And I believe Jaffa would be a fitting name for such a noble beast."

 

"Welcome to the family Jaffa," I said softly as the kitten curled up tightly against my chest where our intertwined hands cradled her and purred softly. The others left us alone for a moment while Jaffa rumbled like a miniature jackhammer. Art nuzzled my throat and I squirmed delightedly.

 

"Since you're my goddess," she hummed softly for my ears alone. "I guess having your own Jaffa is appropriate."


	12. Birthdays and Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> True love just might strike twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: PG.
> 
> Pairings: Karen/Darya

**First Kiss**

**Day 25**

 

++Darya++

 

(9-8-99)

 

The sound of a motorcycle roaring to a stop in my driveway lured me to the door, and I assumed it was Sam showing up early. Emily sat perched on my hip, babbling excitedly about the decorations I was putting up for her birthday party. Opening the door, I started to call out a greeting to the blonde, but stopped before more than a light hiss passed my lips. That body was too big and too fleshed out to be Sam Carter. I watched as the person got off the bike and settled it onto the kickstand. The dark leathers encased but didn't hide the strong, but obviously feminine body. My jaw dropped as the helmet was removed and waves of long coppery hair cascaded down her back. By the Goddess… it was Karen Taylor. I stared at her as she turned to face me, holding my gaze for a long moment before she began walking up the driveway. No, it was more like she was stalking up toward me, a great red tiger on the prowl... and I was her prey. 

 

Far more willing prey than I'd dare admit to. 

 

"Morning Doc," she greeted me warmly, but that predatory guardedness remained steady. As usual, she wasn't going to open up to me unless I worked for it. But did I want to work for it?

 

"Morning Taylor," I replied in a neutral tone, not exactly sure what she was doing at my house. I let my eyes stray over the soft leather jacket and chaps she wore, feeling a certain thrill at the sight. They looked handmade and molded lovingly to her strong body. But my analytical side quickly did its best to squelch that train of thought. "It's kind of warm for leather, isn't it? Or is this some kind of stereotypical game?"

 

Her gaze was penetrating, and I was helplessly caught in the green eyes gone dark with some unidentifiable emotion I just couldn't quite read. Leaning against the wall like a great cat, Karen drawled softly, "why do you assume everything has to be a game with me?" I swallowed thickly and shifted Emily's weight on my hip. "I enjoy these clothes."

 

"Well, I…"

 

"Besides," she continued, gently cutting me off, "I wanted to ask you something, and the bike and the leathers play into it." That statement caught me off guard and I quirked a brow before motioning for her to continue. That piercing gaze focused steadily at me for a breathless moment before she spoke again, settling back even more comfortably into the wall. "I want to know what you see when you look at me. Not that I'm interested in your approval or disapproval, I'm quite content with my self-image. I am, however, curious what you perceive."

 

I blinked in astonishment, once again completely caught off guard by her. 

 

"You can't be serious," I sputtered; not exactly sure I wanted to answer her. I wasn't even sure I could answer her.

 

In an odd way, I bless my daughter for what she did next. Emily chose that moment to make her presence more noticeable by tossing her sippy cup toward Taylor. The woman moved sinuously to scoop up the cup, but the partial cast on her left hand made the maneuver a little difficult. "Appa juice!" Emily crowed loudly, giggling as the juice managed to splatter all over Taylor's face and jacket until she finally managed to steady the cup between her hands. Only then did I consciously note that she was wearing gloves, the left covering only the fingers where they jutted comically from the fiberglass cast. I was more than a little fascinated by the smooth leather molding to the curves and planes of her busy hands. That secret little thrill had returned, settling itself in the pit of my stomach and exploding into a small flurry of butterflies. "My juice!"

 

"Your juice, eh?" The redhead drawled and stepped up well within my personal space. She tipped the obviously empty cup toward her face and mimed drinking the juice. My eyes were drawn to the muscles of her throat as she swallowed and I shivered just a little bit. Wiping at her chin, she held the cup out to my daughter. "Tasty. Thank you."

 

Emily giggled and grabbed for her cup. "Silly lady! Name!"

 

Taylor met Emily's gaze openly and smiled with a warm, gentle affection that made my breath catch in my throat. "My name's Karen. What's yours?" I seriously doubted that there was a single person in the SGC that didn't know who Emily was, but I was warmed thoroughly by this mercurial woman who was so obviously coaxing my little girl to play. Karen seemed to be successfully winning her attention and affection in a way so few could after Em's death.

 

"Em'ly," she said proudly. "I this many," she added, holding up her left hand, all five fingers waving. I watched the woman reach over and gently coax the little fingers so that only two remained upright. Emily squealed in delight and latched onto the black-clad fingers, unwilling to let go.

 

"What? You want to come see Karen? Is that it Miss Emily?" She encouraged, mockingly trying to pull her fingers away. "Do you want to play with Karen?"

 

Emily turned her wide blue eyes on me, smiling. "Mommy? I play Kryn?"

 

'Mommy wants to play with Karen,'ran through my head faster than I could stop it, and left me blinking in surprise. Where the hell had that come from? And could I honestly deny it? All the flirting and subtle innuendoes between us over the past month had certainly taken their toll on my self-control. But... Oh hell, this wasn't what I needed, not with people showing up for my daughter's birthday party. Not with Em's loss still so close to my heart.

 

"Yes Mommy," came the low voice, the hint of a sensuous chuckle threading through the seductively low tone. By the Goddess, how was I supposed to survive this? "Can I play with Emily?"

 

"I… uh, sure," I finally stammered, handing over Emily's eagerly squirming body. She leapt on the tall woman, one chubby little fist latching into the soft leather and the other in the bright hair. Stunned, I watched my normally guarded daughter brighten even more as she was tickled and cooed over by her new friend. Taylor rearranged her on a hip, mindful of her injured arm. An odd prickling against the back of my eyes made me blink as I took in the sight before me. My small daughter, still in need of a nap before the party, quickly curled herself trustingly into Karen's chest and shoulder. Her pale strawberry curls stood out in contrast to Karen's shockingly red hair as well as the inky dark leather of her jacket. And thanks to Cassandra's sun-worshipping attitude, my daughter's skin was a subtle bronze that brought out the sun kissed highlights of her hair. I couldn't help myself from taking a closer look at the Amazon redhead holding Emily. The intensely sorrel hair curled down around her shoulders, cushioning Emily's head where she rested it, yawning. Pale skin was dotted all over with a delightful smattering of freckles that I found myself yearning to trace. How much of her flesh was covered in those paint spatters of color? Would I ever find out? Did I even have the guts to want to go there with her? A flush crept over my cheeks as I caught the amused, almost indulgent, look in her eyes. "Um, would you like to come in Karen?" I asked, trying to regain my composure. "I still have a lot of work to get done before the party. And Emily needs a nap yet."

 

"Do not," came the petulant reply. Karen chuckled and ran the fingers of her injured left hand across Emily's hair. My little girl grabbed at the cast. "You owwie?"

 

Karen nodded. "I was clumsy and fell down."

 

Emily nodded sagely. "Ahh. I fall too," she yawned.

 

"Tell you what Miss Emily. We'll go in and help your mommy and if we get tired, we'll both take a nap, okay?"

 

"You stay?" When Karen yawned exaggeratedly and nodded, my daughter's face lit up in delight. "'Kay."

 

"So," Karen asked, eyes glinting mischievously at Emily. "Have you ever played monkey?" 

 

She shook her head, eyes wide. "Mommy calls me Mo'key." 

 

Karen shot me an amused grin, which I returned. "She does, hunh? Well, if you're careful, you can climb up and sit on my shoulders. Then we can move my motorcycle to a safer spot."

 

"Yes?"

 

"Only if your mom says it's okay," she replied, glancing at me with an arched brow. "I'll be happy to stay and help you, Darya, on one condition." I quirked an eyebrow when her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of rose. "I need to borrow your garage for my bike," she admitted sheepishly. "I'm not supposed to be riding it, and I figured…"

 

I laughed at that. "Oh, so you're afraid of Janet's wrath?"

 

"Yes," was her careless reply. "Aren't you?"

 

"Not on your life. I know what makes Squirt tick." I could see how desperately she wanted to ask me about the nickname, but Emily was squirming restlessly in her arms. "Yes, you can store your bike in the garage. But you will owe me for this one. And I do intend to make you pay."

 

"Yes, ma'am," she purred softly, making me realize just how suggestive my promise had been. I felt my own cheeks flush in an odd combination of arousal and embarrassment. Leaving me to my embarrassed silence, Karen helped Emily up onto her shoulders. "Hold on tight Emily. I don't want you to fall."

 

"'Kay," came the reply as the little fists latched onto Karen's hair, feet crossing around her neck. 

 

Karen strode down the driveway and I followed without consciously thinking about it. She awkwardly started to push the motorcycle before looking at me sheepishly again. "Is there any chance…?"

 

Swallowing back a lump of fear at the memories of Em's death when the street bike had recklessly cut her off and caused both their deaths, I found myself unable to move for a moment. Suddenly, there was a touch on my arm and I glanced up into those gemstone eyes. The beautiful kindness and warmth there made me blink back tears. 

 

"I'm sorry," Karen whispered and much to my astonishment the fear and pain actually receded. She was so astute, so gentle, so wild and untamed under the thin veneer of domestication. Suddenly the bike between us was more a symbol of that predator lurking in her soft gaze than a destructive hunk of metal and power. It was quite the revelation for my scarred heart.

 

"Mommy?"

 

A smile reassured my daughter, and the expression felt surprisingly sincere. "I'm okay honey. Let's help Karen, okay?"

 

Following my tall companion's instructions, I grabbed one of the handlebars and started to push. It was a strange sensation when I realized I was holding the throttle, the pulse of this machine's powerful heart. From the corner of my eye, I could see Emily sliding on the smooth leather of Karen's jacket. Before I could do anything, Karen suddenly lurched to a halt, coughing, as Emily's feet tightened around her throat to keep from shifting around unsteadily. The bike tilted alarmingly and for some odd reason I couldn't let it fall as Karen reached up for Emily.

 

"Emily!" I barked sharply, which only caused her to tighten her grip on Karen. There was real alarm on my baby's face, but before I could do anything about it, a strong, one-handed grip had pulled her down into a warm hug. For a long moment Emily clung to Karen, who shushed and cooed at her softly. It was a long minute before she allowed herself to be set on the seat of the big Harley. Smiling winningly, cheeks flushed, Karen continued to reassure the child who I suspected was reacting to my own alarm.

 

"You just hang on to mine and your mom's arms while we push, okay Em'ly?"

 

Eyes round, Emily latched on to the two of us as instructed and I met Karen's gaze with my own. There was something new here, something warm and tentative and precious. 

 

++Karen++

 

It didn't take much to get the bike moved into the garage, and as soon as I could, I picked up little Emily, if only to ease that bit of tension still lurking in her mother's eyes. I wasn't certain what happened to make her so afraid of bikes, but I wasn't going to push her and ask. If she felt she could trust me enough to tell me one day, I would be content with that. "So Em'ly, what should we do first?"

 

"Line King!"

 

I smiled as Darya rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically. "You're going to wear out that tape honey," she said slowly, as if this was a regular conversation between them. "Why don't you and Karen hang the balloons in the living room?"

 

"B'loons?"

 

"Sure!" I enthused, and motioned for Darya to lead the way into the house. I breathed a sigh of relief as the garage door closed, hiding my Harley from other people's eyes. The last thing I needed was the Doc kicking my ass for riding my bike over here this soon. As I followed Darya into the house, the baby babbled happily and petted my hair, but my eyes were drawn to her mother's shapely backside. I knew there was something beneath that cool, professional exterior, something I wanted to coax out and get to know better. But how did I go about that?

 

"Kryn? Appa juice?" The question was accompanied by a gentle tug to my curls.

 

I blinked, catching the curious looks radiating from the eyes of both mother and daughter. "What honey?"

 

"You appa juice?"

 

"Sure. Let's go." 

 

I followed Darya into the kitchen, before setting Emily in her high chair as her mother busied herself with getting us the juice. I sat at the table next to Emily, and took a good look at the little girl. Those chubby cheeks of hers broke into the most adorable dimples when she smiled in excitement. There was no denying the similarities between mother and daughter. What surprised me was how unexpectedly attached this little girl was becoming to me. I'd been an only child and run away from my hated home at fourteen, so I never really spent much time around little kids Emily's age. So what was it that she found so appealing about me? Would I ever find out? I shook my head slightly as Darya set the glass before me, and then noticed she wasn't sitting down with us. I wanted to ask why, but I could see she was nervous. A delighted chuckle echoed in my head as I realized I was partly responsible. And then I remembered... 

 

"You never answered my question."

 

Darya's head snapped up, eyes wide as she stared at me. "What?"

 

"I'm curious what you see when you look at me in these leathers."

 

"I didn't? I could have sworn," she hedged. "Are you sure?"

 

I nodded, taking a long slow drink of the juice, eyes never leaving hers. "Quite sure."

 

"Umm…. Can we talk about this later? Maybe after the party? I really do have a lot to get done yet."

 

"Sure," I replied easily, taking off my jacket to start working with her. I could get the information I wanted out of her later.

 

++Janet++

 

I'd finally gotten Art and Sam ready for Emily's party. Who'd have known they'd both take their dear sweet time like that? Even Cassandra had grown impatient with them! Pulling up to Darya's driveway, we all piled out of my brand-new SUV. The GMC Yukon was big enough for people, dogs, Sam's little rats and even my little Jaffa. I couldn't very well leave my baby home all alone, could I? Cassandra brought out her keys and let us into the townhouse. It was far quieter than it should have been, particularly considering Emily's expected excitement level.

 

Stepping into the living room, I came to a dead stop and snickered softly. Art came up behind me and I held up a hand to stop her from speaking.

 

There in front of us was a sight forever imprinted into my memory. Karen Taylor was stretched out in one of the lounge chairs that made up either end of Darya's couch, with her head back, feet bare, sound asleep. Nestled into her chest lay my goddaughter, one fist pressed to her mouth, the other clutching Taylor's long hair. The cast rested under the little girl's bottom to cradle her safely and Darya was stretched along the length of the couch with her head resting high on Karen's thigh. One hand was stretched up to lay across Emily's back, close enough to Karen's injured hand that their fingers just barely touched. Her other hand lay curled around Karen's chap-covered thigh, so that mother and daughter looked to be sucking on their own fists for comfort.

 

It made for quite a picture, one that nearly evoked both tears and laughter. I knew my dear friend well enough to have noticed her interest in the tall redhead, even if it was only subconscious at first. I felt an overwhelming relief that Darya was moving on after Em's death, and yet I felt trepidation at her choice of partner. But hadn't I made the exact same choice with my beloved Art? Falling in love with a soldier was never easy. Especially when the relationship was expressly against regulations.

 

"Nana!" Emily's delighted cry dragged me from my sober thoughts, and I had to chuckle as she scrabbled roughly over couch and Karen to get to me. "Birfday Nana!"

 

"Yes it is," I replied as Karen let out an agonized breath and deliberately jerked her good hand away from Darya's hair.

 

"Oh shit, my bladder," she groaned before bolting upright at our amused chuckles. The movement jostled Darya into wakefulness, and she flushed upon seeing me looming over her.

 

"So," I asked, leaning over to tap the cast. "How'd you get over here Karen? Am I going to find your bike hiding in the garage, hmm?"

 

"Uhh… I gotta go," she hedged and scrambled for the bathroom.

 

I turned my gaze back to my old friend, who was obviously trying to duck my gaze. Before I could say anything to her, the curious meow from my shoulder bag caught Emily's attention.

 

"Kitty?"

 

Passing the girl over to Sam, I reached into the canvas bag to pull out my bronzed baby. Jaffa arched her back and yawned before settling into my palm to blink at all of us. Scratching behind her ears, I held the kitten toward Emily. "This is Jaffa, sweetie. She's just a baby, so you have to be gentle when you pet her."

 

I watched my goddaughter pass curious, gentle fingers over Jaffa's narrow spine, squealing in delight as the kitten began her low rumble. "Hi Jafna," she giggled as the rough little tongue licked at her fingers. "I hold Jafna, Nana?"

 

I nestled the kitten between Sam and Emily, smiling as the girl babbled excitedly at her new friend. The smile on Sam's face as she and Emily played with Jaffa warmed my heart. I'd been worried about her overworking herself in this attempt to retrieve O'Neill. I knew very well that she blamed herself for what happened, even though she had no blame at all. I also knew that she'd drive herself straight into her own grave before giving up on a chance to bring him back. Her devotion scared me sometimes, and I needed to know she could walk away from that obsession if need be. If I had to use a two-year-old's birthday party to get her away… Well, I wasn't above a little manipulative underhandedness to keep her sane and healthy. Family meant more to me than anything else. At one time that had seemed like such a foreign concept, but Cassie and Art had taught me otherwise.

 

"I brought the puppies to visit," Sam told Emily quietly and the girl squealed in delight, making Jaffa lay her ears back at the noise. "Would you like to see them?"

 

"Yes, peas!"

 

So Sam carried Emily to the front room where the new, larger cage held Quark and Quasar. The sweet little rats usually kept Sam company on base while she worked, but she'd brought them topside so that Emily could see that they were happy and healthy. If I hadn't received Jaffa as a pet, I would have probably gone and adopted a couple of the smart rodents myself. They were wonderful companions and almost no maintenance. Jaffa touched noses with Quasar and promptly lost interest in them both. So much for the food chain.

 

As Karen made her way back into the room, Darya flushed again and quickly stood to head for the kitchen. "Um, glad you guys are here. You can all distract Emily while I finish up with the food." She was through the door before any of us could answer. I watched an odd combination of emotions flit across the Karen's face, ranging from amusement to embarrassment to desire, with several others in between. She shook her head and moved to stand next to Sam and Emily, coaxing the little girl into introducing her new friend. I left them to their conversation, knowing Art and Cassandra had snuck out the back to take care of the dogs. 

 

Slipping into the kitchen, I quietly watched Darya pace in front of the sink. While I may not have her unusual empathetic sensitivities, I knew Darya well enough to see just how torn she was over this. Em had been the real thing, that one true love that most people spend their lives looking for and never find. She had been more important to her than any other person, with the exception of the daughter they had been so dedicated to. It had been Em's gentle influence that helped repair the tension and strain that I had caused between Darya and myself. 

 

"Don't do that Squirt." The words startled me. I could never hide myself from her perceptions for very long.

 

"How are you doing?" I asked quietly, unsure of how she would react to any outside stimuli in her current state.

 

"I think the better question would be 'What am I doing,' don't you?" She had her back to me, leaning over the sink, staring out the window to the backyard. 

 

I didn't answer, unsure what I should say. The silence stretched between us for a long moment before I finally spoke. "Why are you so freaked out over this?"

 

"How can you ask me that, Janet?"

 

"So, in your infinite wisdom, you've decided that opening your heart again is a bad thing?"

 

It had been a while since I'd earned that flashing glare, but I held firm in the face of it, hoping she would realize what was happening here. Tears welled up in familiar green eyes and she turned her back to me again to huddle into herself. Warily, I moved to stand beside her and we stared into the backyard. 

 

"Karen's great," I mused quietly. "Tough, kind and elegant."

 

"Em would've liked her," Darya added woodenly and I couldn't help but flash her a slightly freaked out look. "What irony."

 

Again, long minutes passed until I shifted to face her. The movement seemed to break the spell and Em's almost tangible presence faded into the background. It was both comforting and creepy.

 

"I'm sorry," Darya breathed quietly, still not able to meet my eyes. "This caught me off guard."

 

"I know the feeling all too well. You're forgiven, Dare, I can only imagine that this is impossibly hard. When you need to talk, I'll be here."

 

With a quick squeeze to her upper arm, I left my pal to gather her composure.

 

++Darya++

 

I couldn't believe how many people actually showed up for Emily's party. SG1 was a given; they all doted on her any chance they could. Emily was disappointed that her 'Unca Jack' was gone, but everyone else managed to distract her enough to let her forget. So many people from the base had heard about Emily's birthday and mentioned that they might show up, if only to drop off a present for my little girl. For the most part, they brought cards with a little money tucked inside for things she might need. The others brought her pretty little dresses or stuffed animals, but with all those people around, my little girl had worked herself into one of her shy phases. Even more intriguing to me than this outpouring of my coworkers and friends old and new was how Emily clung to Karen. The redhead hardly had a moment to herself. Emily refused to leave Karen's arms, unless Karen asked her to. She wouldn't even go to Cassie, and she adored the teen.

 

"Good afternoon doctor," came a distinct drawl from behind me.

 

"Sir thank you for coming," I replied, turning to smile at him and noticed the big bear instantly. Being nearly Emily's size, it was hard to miss with its chocolate fur and gregarious grin. I knew my daughter would love it.

 

"So where's the birthday girl? I'd love to meet her and give her this present."

 

Craning my neck, I spotted Karen across the yard with Emily and a gaggle of admirers. I pointed her out to the General and then went back into the house for more beers for Art and Sam.

 

++Karen++

 

I knew my boss' presence well enough to sense him approaching, but I kept up the game with Emily. "Come on, Miss Em'ly, keep looking."

 

"Peasants, peasants," she sing-songed happily, rummaging through each pocket in my clothes in search of her birthday present. Well, the one that was small enough to hide on my person. Reaching for one of the pockets in my jeans, she sidled over to sit next to me on the bench. "Up, Kryn! Peasant!"

 

Gamely, I stood and let her fish out the keys to my bike, then felt my face flush at the arched eyebrow from the Doc. Oh, she knew perfectly well how I'd gotten there, and she wasn't about to let me forget it either. Emily reached for the almost hidden pocket in my jacket and crowed with delight as she pulled out the multi-colored koosh ball.

 

"Peasant! Sank you, Kryn!" And then she wrapped her arms around my waist as best as she could and hugged tightly. Sam and the Doc laughed at that, while Goldston just shook her head in amusement. But the General's sudden chuckle made her freeze and clutch more tightly to me, peering shyly up at him. 

 

"Hello there Emily. I heard today is your birthday and my friend here wanted to come meet you."

 

She stared at him, wide-eyed, then glanced at the teddy bear before burying her face in my belly. So I picked her up and took a step closer to the General, feeling her face pressed into my shoulder. The General adopted a similar stance with the bear, an indulgent grin on his face.

 

"Afternoon sir," I said warmly. "That's a pretty teddy bear you've got there. Does it have a name?"

 

"Name?" Emily asked, peeking at him.

 

He held the bear to his ear for a long moment, as if listening to a conversation, then nodded gravely. I could see he was subtly watching Emily the whole time, gauging her reaction. "He's very shy and said he'd only tell Emily his name. Do you want to come learn his name?" She shook her head and he nodded again. "Well, how about this? When you're ready, you come find me and we'll find out his name together, okay?"

 

++Janet++

 

I slid my hand over Art's where it rested on my stomach. One day our child would be Emily's age. Would General Hammond be as open with our child as he was attempting to be with Emily? Nearly a week had passed since that fateful day when we'd all learned I was pregnant, and I still felt his disappointment down to my bones.

 

"And how are the newlyweds doing today?" Hammond asked, regaining my attention. "I'd have thought we wouldn't see hide nor hair of you two until you reported back for duty." The smile in his eyes put my heart a little more at ease.

 

"I couldn't miss my goddaughter's birthday sir. She'd never forgive me." I glanced over to see Emily and Karen playing with the koosh ball and couldn't help my grin. "Besides, it's not every day we get the treat of seeing Taylor all dressed up."

 

She flashed me a half-hearted glare and I smiled back impishly.

 

"Ya know," Siler said, walking over to join us, "I did think Taylor was a little overdressed for a kid's party. What's up with that Major? Got a hot date later or something?"

 

I couldn't help the chuckles escaping me as she turned that fierce Irish gaze on him. "Shut up Sly," she chided in a neutral tone, obviously mindful of the child in her arms. "I hadn't really planned on staying all that long originally."

 

"No, she wanted to hide her bike from me, right?"

 

Before she could answer, Emily tugged lightly at her hair. "Kryn, go potty."

 

I saw the panic fill her brilliant green eyes and stepped in, offering a hand to Emily. "Come on, sweetie, I'll take you."

 

"No, Nana! Kryn!"

 

I shrugged apologetically at Taylor, who nodded, then scooped up the girl in her arms, heading toward the house.

 

++Hammond++

 

I kept that bear close to me all afternoon. I caught little Emily glancing wistfully at it several times and start to walk over, but she always stopped when she saw me watching her and would run back to find comfort in Taylor's arms. Finally, she sidled up to sit on the bench near me, the bear a safe barrier between us. I could see Taylor close by, petting Cooper and talking seriously with Goldston and Regan. Very casually, I glanced down at the teddy bear. "What was that you say?" I asked, leaning closer to the stuffy. I mimed a conversation with the bear, all the while watching Emily inch her way closer and closer.

 

"He talk?" she asked curiously.

 

"Of course he does. Don't you hear him?"

 

She leaned in close; her face scrunched up in concentration and then let out a squeal of delight. "He talk!"

 

++Karen++

 

I glanced up sharply at that squeal. She wasn't my kid, but I felt protective of her. The look of delight on her face calmed my nerves and I had to smile when she wrapped her arms around the bear. 

 

"Kryn! He talk!"

 

I stood and moved to crouch next to her. "He did, hunh?"

 

"Did he tell you his name yet?" The General was smiling like I'd never seen him smile before. This must be how he was with his own grandkids.

 

She laughed and pointed at the General. "Silly man! Name!"

 

That made me laugh, and his shocked expression made me laugh even harder, hard enough to produce tears. "Silly lady, silly man. Must be a pattern," I finally got out.

 

That shook off his shock and he chuckled. "Come over here and sit by me and we'll both tell you our names." I took Emily's spot on the bench as she scrambled into his lap, the bear pulled with her. "Okay, Miss Emily, I'll tell you my name now. It's George."

 

"Gampa George?" She questioned curiously, and I found myself holding my breath to see what he'd say.

 

"Yes, I guess I would be Grampa George."

 

She giggled and hugged him, then hugged her bear. "He Gampa Bear. Like Gampa George."

 

++Sam++

 

The night was late and Karen and Darya had long since put Emily to bed in her new 'big girl' bed complete with Lion King sheets. We adults sat out in the backyard, having a few last beers and talking. The General had left earlier, having other plans with his actual granddaughters, not the two he'd adopted via the SGC. Cassie had fallen asleep with her head resting in Art's lap, so we were a little freer in our conversations, but still careful because of her presence. Daniel had, much to the amusement of our little party, done the same thing in Jo's lap. It was becoming obvious that he had a bit of a crush. Bob had been off world since right after the wedding, and I was sorely missing him. Especially as Janet and Art were all curled up together, or watching Karen and Darya making sidelong glances at each other. It was going to be a long week without him, but then again I was far too busy trying to build that damned machine to save the Colonel. 

 

"So Carter," Jo teased, dragging me out of my thoughts. "Are you just gonna stand there until those beers are warm or are you gonna hand them out now?"

 

Flushing slightly at the teasing tone from the other blonde, I finished the task I'd originally started, then moved back to the edge of the circle again amid laughter from my friends. Her tone reminded me of the Colonel, which only made me feel worse for taking time away from my work. A gentle hand on my arm made me turn to look at Darya. "You deserve the time away, Sam," she said softly. "And the kids truly love it when you visit."

 

"But…"

 

"But nothing. Don't make me pull mom rank on you, okay? Because you know I will, and I'll get Janet to back me up."

 

Sullenly, I nodded; knowing what she spoke was truth. But it didn't help my psyche much in the long run, and I think she could see that. Wrapping her hand around my arm, she pulled me over to sit in front of the makeshift bonfire in her backyard. Feeling odd, I couldn't stay by her and sat next to Art and Janet instead, quietly nursing my beer. 

 

++Darya++

 

The evening was getting chilly, and I found myself glad that Karen and Teal'c continued to keep the bonfire going. I found myself growing more and more comfortable with the idea of Karen being so close. I didn't know what I was going to do about answering her question. I didn't even know if I could answer it. I knew she was going to ask me again after everyone left. If I knew nothing else about Karen Taylor, I knew that she was as stubborn as a pit bull when she was after something. 

 

I gazed across the fire to catch each person there with a smile. Moving to Colorado Springs had definitely been a good thing for my daughter and I both. I had a great job, one that truly challenged me on a daily basis, which was something that I craved. I was once again with my very good friend and her new family. And I'd met so many new people who were all very open to accepting Emily and I into their tight-knit circles. And then there was Karen Taylor. I wasn't sure what I wanted to think about her just quite yet. But I couldn't deny that she had a pull I couldn't resist.

 

"So, Dare, penny for your thoughts?" came the question to my left. 

 

I looked into Janet's warm brown eyes and smiled. "Just thinking about how much I appreciate what you did to get me out here Squirt. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't offered my name up for Cass' therapy."

 

She shook her head. "Why would I get anyone but the best for my daughter? And you, Dare, are the best as far as I'm concerned." 

 

I still had no idea how to respond to that. 

 

++Emily++

 

Bad dreams. Scary. Need find Mommy. Find Kryn. "Mommy? Kryn?" No find Mommy. No find Kryn. Peoples talk outside. Get out of big girl bed. Bring blankie. Mommy stop monsters. Careful down steps. Outside door open. Hear Mommy. Hear Kryn. "Mommy? Kryn?"

 

++Darya++

 

I glanced up at the sound of my daughter's voice, surprised to see she was up. The sight of her blankie in her arms only proved to me that she'd had a bad dream. "Emily," I said softly. "Come here, baby."

 

She stared at me for a moment and started toward me, hesitating at the sound of Karen laughing at some story Art had been telling. The minute she recognized the tall redhead, my little one was running toward her, clambering up into her lap. "Kryn!"

 

Karen was clearly shocked and fumbled to set her beer aside as she curled her bum arm around Emily's waist. "Hey there, Miss Em'ly," she replied softly, brushing back the unruly curls from my daughter's face. "What's the matter? Why aren't you in your big girl bed?"

 

"Bad dream," came the frightened whimper. "Monster no sleep."

 

"A monster?" An emphatic nod was her response. "You're safe now, Em'ly. You wanna go by your mommy?"

 

"Stay with Kryn," Emily mumbled sleepily and snuggled in closer, blankie clutched tightly in one fist, the other pressed against her lips. Karen held her tightly, rocking slightly back and forth to help lull my daughter back into sleep. 

 

Watching them, my eyes misted over a bit, recalling Em holding a much younger Emily in a similar way, then I suddenly found myself staring into Karen's bright gemstone eyes. I smiled reassuringly at Karen, moving to sit next to her despite my hesitation to be so close to her with others around. I saw Emily's eyes flutter shut as she relaxed into Karen's chest. "Motherhood, the only job you can never go off-duty from," I said softly, gazing fondly at the pair of them. "Consider yourself one of the chosen few to be graced by Emily's unwavering trust."

 

++Karen++

 

I'd never ever thought I'd be any good with kids. But this little girl, with her soft strawberry curls and her trusting blue eyes… She just did something to me, made me care about her. I didn't want a family… I just wanted to get to know her mom better, get to know the woman behind the psych degree and the smartassed sense of humor. Then I had fallen asleep on her couch, the baby lying trustingly in my arms, Darya curled up along my side. It felt…right, like I could belong there if I really wanted to. And when Darya made that comment about Emily's trust, it really shook me. I couldn't think about the responsibility this little girl was thrusting upon me just yet. It was too much, too soon. Did I even really want to try for something with her mom? Was I up to the whole deal with a new relationship and a kid on top of it? And what if Emily told someone? I wasn't as lucky as Goldston and the Doc. I could be out on my ass if they found me out.

 

"If you just hold her for a few more minutes, she'll be able to stay asleep again," Darya said softly. "Then you don't have to sit here, forced to hold her."

 

I hadn't even realized Emily was nearly asleep again. I glanced down at her peaceful face, she was so precious like this, and then returned my gaze to Darya. "Nah, I kinda like it," I said and realized I really meant it. I wanted this to happen, as much as I was allowed at least. "You enjoy yourself and don't worry about her for tonight."

 

++Art++

 

I leaned back and watched my wife's ex-girlfriend flirting with the tall redhead, chuckling softly when Karen flashed this thoroughly charming, disarmingly innocent smile on Darya. I almost laughed out loud at the look of total enraptured delight and joy on her face. I don't know what Karen said, but it obviously was just what Darya needed to completely relax around her. Were Janet and I like that? And would I be that comfortable around our baby after he or she was born? I pulled Janet closer and softly stroked her stomach, lost in thought.

 

"Penny for them, Art," she murmured softly after some length of time.

 

I blinked and then met her curious gaze as I pointed toward the budding couple. "I think some major hurdles have been jumped." I felt Janet's hand tighten against mine as she watched their interaction. "So what do you think about this?"  


"I think they should be good for one another if they're careful. If she's happy, then so am I," was her soft response.

 

++Karen++

 

I could see Sam was getting into one of her quiet, introspective moods. Considering how much I was enjoying myself where Darya was concerned, it was a pretty strong mood of Sam's that pulled me away from flirting with the mind doc. Yeah, I'll never deny the obvious attraction to Carter, like anyone could, but at least with Darya I think I stood a chance. Yet, as I studied her sitting there, lost in her own thoughts, I knew I had to do something. "Sam," I purred softly, catching everyone's attention, not just hers and she looked up at me with wide eyes. Oh yeah, the stress was definitely lurking there in her blue. "Come here," I said in a low, gentle voice. Thankfully, she did as I asked and came over to stand in front of me with curiosity threading through her expression. 

 

Slowly, I raised both hands so that she could see them and spoke quietly and reassuringly. "Someone I respected enormously taught me the connections between different sets of nerves. Do you trust me?" There was a pause while my old pal studied me with that clueless and fathomless gaze that was so characteristic of her. When she nodded, I smiled softly and patted my thighs. "Sit here and let me relax you, huh?" The puzzled and wary look made me chuckle and reach out to lay gentle hands on her hips. "Don't take this wrong, willya? I'm worried about you Sam, so sit." A tug had her straddling my thighs and I forced my lizard brain to ignore the feel of her lanky body against mine. "Now, close your eyes." With a last odd look, Carter's beautiful eyes slid shut and she placed her trust in my hands. Ever so gently, I placed the pads of my fingertips to the baby-soft skin surrounding her closed eyes and began caressing the thin layer of flesh and bone over the sensitive sinuses. Both thumbs stroked along the corners of her relaxed mouth and the soft groove where nose and cheek met. I had to modify many of the massage techniques since my left hand was so weak, but the way Sam was beginning to lean into me, the effect was the same. "I've known you so long," I rumbled softly. "And you've accomplished so much. Let me take away the responsibility for just a little while. Just a little while." The hypnotic tone had taken me years to perfect. Even now I could remember Anastasia holding my temper in check, speaking to me in that low, slow tone that had inspired me to learn it. She'd been so good to me and taught me so much. 

 

"Mmm…" Sam moaned softly and leaned boneless into my hands. 

 

"Don't talk Sam, I got you."

 

"Mmm…"

 

"Hey Doc," I asked softly in that same tone and saw Janet's head move. "You ever do this?"

 

"Not with Sam," she sassed back ever so lightly and there were there were the softest of chuckles from the group. Sam twitched, in response to the noise or the relaxation, and I moved my strong hand to the nape of her neck. Utterly willing, she obeyed the tug and buried her nose next to the hollow of my throat before moaning yet again. It took a minute for me to realize how suggestive the pose must look, with Sam sprawled into my larger body and the soft smile playing around my mouth. Meeting Jo's pale gaze, I was warmed by the delighted grin she flashed at me.

 

"Don't stop on my account. If you hadn't gotten her to relax, I might have had to help Janet tranquilize her. Besides, this kind of thing works with dogs too, no offense meant. She just needs a tail to wag."

 

Soft laughter again and Sam grew ever heavier against me. There was a time I'd have given up my gold leaves for a chance like this, to have this brainy and gorgeous and kind woman pliable and willing in my grasp. That need had evolved over the years to unwavering trust and a work relationship that I treasured. Even if I still had the damn crush on her. 

 

As Sam grew completely limp, I was having a hard time keeping her upright against me and my broken arm was useless in close quarters like this. As I scowled over the situation, there were strong, dark arms supporting her weight and steadying me. "Thanks Teal'c," I praised him warmly and received one of his eloquent nods. "Wanna learn this?" There was a distinct startled pleasure in his inky eyes as he took in my offer. So I grabbed one great hand and wove his fingers into the gold mane on my shoulder. "Feel those points at the base of her skull?"

 

"Yes."

 

"There are tendons anchored there. Feel the tension?"

 

"Indeed."

 

"If you caress them lightly between your fingers, you'll feel the difference almost immediately."

 

This was not a man accustomed to gentleness and I realized that. Nor was he capable of harming Sam in any way, as his exquisitely tender touch on her neck proved beyond the shadow of a doubt. If the woman could purr, she would be doing it loudly right about now.

 

"I have never appreciated gentleness in quite this fashion before," Teal'c mused thoughtfully as he began tracing the terrain of muscle and vertebrae. "I did not realize the usefulness of such a touch."

 

"It's more than just useful, Teal'c," I added in, all too aware that the group was hanging on every word. "The person has to trust you for this to really work. Sam knows it's you, even if she's basically asleep now. Never thought she'd get so damn heavy."

 

That broke up any serious note among the group, who returned to their talking and laughing. But Teal'c sat beside me, gently stroking the sleeping Sam's head. I had given him a means to show how much he cared about his teammate and he wasn't about to give it up just yet. Eventually, I happily transferred her weight to his strong embrace so that he could continue to soothe her troubled mind. This thing with O'Neill was hitting Sam hard and it was good to see her relaxed and safe.

 

Around midnight everyone decided to leave. Doc had been adamant about me not riding the bike home in the dark with my cast, and I promised to take a cab home. But I didn't want to go home. I still needed an answer out of Darya… and she knew it.

 

I watched her come back through the house after Goldston and crew had left. I stayed out in the backyard, nursing my beer as the fire died out in the grill. I wanted her answer… I wanted to tell her how I felt… I wanted a lot of things, but I probably wouldn't get them. 

 

"Are you okay, Karen?" She asked me softly, seeming to suddenly appear at my side. Had I gotten myself that lost in my thoughts that I'd lost my perception of her?

 

"Just thinking," I replied in the same tone, not looking at her.

 

"Mind if I join you?" Her question was tentative, like she thought I'd say no. Had she forgotten this was her backyard? And I said as much to her. Even in the faint light coming from the deck lights, I could see her blush. It made me chuckle and take another pull on my beer, gesturing to the spot next to me on the bench. We sat in silence for several moments, an oddly comfortable unease settling between us. And then she spoke. "I wanted to thank you for what you did with Emily today. And I want to apologize if she bothered you."

 

"Not at all Darya," I replied, neatly cutting off anything else she might say. "In fact, I enjoyed her company. I do wish I could have enjoyed her mother's a little more though." And that blush deepened, her head dropping slightly. Again, silence spread between us and I watched her from the corner of my eye. Then I just couldn't stand the quiet or the waiting, any longer. "So what do I have to do to get to know you better?"

 

"I don't know," she whispered.

 

"You do want me to get to know you better, don't you?" I asked, suddenly uncertain of her wishes in all of this. Was I letting my own desires drown out everything else? "If you don't, just say the word and I'll back off."

 

"No!" came her quick reply, head snapping up to stare at me. I turned to face her then, staring deep into those fathomless green eyes, waiting for…something. "I just… I don't know what to do. This is all new to me."

 

I cocked my head to the side, setting my beer on the low table to my left. Now that was an interesting comment to come from her, considering she'd never made any attempts to hide her preferences on the base. "Okay, why don't you answer my question then?" At her wide-eyed expression, I had to laugh. "You didn't honestly think I'd forget, did you?"

 

"No, I guess not." And she went silent again for a moment, staring at her hands.

 

++Darya++

 

How was I supposed to answer her question? I honestly had hoped she'd forget, even though I knew she never would. I wanted so much to get to know this woman better. If my normally reticent daughter could trust Karen Taylor, why was I having such a hard time doing the same thing? 'Because you're a chickenshit Dare,' I heard Em's voice echoing in my head. And sadly, I had to admit the ghost was right. Karen was still on active duty. How could I endanger her commission as if it didn't matter? It obviously did matter to her, or she wouldn't still be in the service. But that wasn't answering her question, was it?

 

Taking a deep breath, I met her gaze again, trying not to flinch at the steady intent in those emerald eyes. "You wanted to know what I see when I see you in the whole leather regalia and on the bike, right?" She nodded, picking up her beer. I was drawn once again to the muscles in her throat as she swallowed. "To be honest, I've sensed that you find my attraction to you some sort of game. Like it's a contest between us that you want to win. And yes, frankly, that bothers me. The persona, and its masks, makes it aggravating to be around you sometimes. But that's not what you want to hear, is it?" When she only watched me in that calm, neutral manner, I sighed and hoped I wouldn't sound like a fool. There was so much there. And how did I explain that little empathic 'quirk' of mine? "Um… I see hardness, discipline, and an aloofness that both terrifies and intrigues me. I expect to see a total hardass, but when I saw you with Emily and Sam today, I could see a tenderness that you don't normally show. It was beautiful and endearing, and made me want to send everyone home so I could get to know that side of you more. But I don't know if that's going to last, or if it was just because of Emily. I'd like to think there was more to it than that." I paused a moment, trying to collect my thoughts again. "I just… Honesty is important to me, Karen. And please don't think that I'm saying you're dishonest. Em taught me a lot about being honest in a relationship. Why do you think I left the Air Force when we got serious? I don't want to play any games with you, Karen, but it's hard for me to see the woman behind the leather or the uniform."

 

"Do you want to know that woman?" She murmured in a vulnerable tone I'd never expected to hear.

 

"Yes," I replied just as quietly and shivered. 

 

++Karen++

 

Her words startled and comforted me. She could see both sides of me, which was something of a frightening revelation in and of itself. But the fact that she still wanted to get to know me… was heartening to say the least. Then her shivering distracted me. Was it from the cold… or from our conversation? I slipped out of my jacket and gently placed it around her shoulders. "Don't want you getting chilled," I murmured. 

 

"Thank you," she replied and burrowed herself down in the warm leather. I'd seen the urge to flinch from my touch, but it didn't upset me like I thought it might. A fierce need to take her in my arms ran through me, but I wasn't going to spook her any further by doing it. She'd answered my question, and I really couldn't expect anymore than that at the moment. Then she unexpectedly curled into my side, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Just hold me?"

 

Like I could refuse. "Dare, I can't get involved with you or that little girl in the house if you don't want to do this. I won't hurt either of you like that." She stared at me again, and I could see the indecision in her eyes. "You don't have to make a lifetime commitment here. I'm just asking if I have a chance or not." 

 

Long tense moments passed as I let myself wander in those expressive eyes. I watched so many emotions pass through them, none ever staying put long enough to really make sense. So when the tears came, I was a little stunned. So I tugged her closer, wanting to show her just how serious I could be. Eventually, she pulled back to meet my eyes again. I hoped I didn't look too intense. I didn't want to scare her off.

 

"I don't know how to say this, Karen." 

 

My heart sank.

 

++Darya++

 

The broken look in her eyes, combined with that defeated sensation, made me shake my head. "No, Karen! That's not it," I stammered, clutching her arm. "Please, let me explain." I lowered my gaze again, trying to find the strength to talk about something that still ached like an open wound. 

 

"Darya?"

 

I could hear and feel the confusion in her voice, coupled with an endearing protectiveness. It was that same feeling I'd been getting from her every time she'd held Emily. And it was that feeling, that sense of _telios peestees_ ( _perfect trust_ ) that prompted me to do what I knew I had to do for this woman.

 

"I need to tell you a story, Karen. I know you may not understand why I'm telling you this right now, considering what you've asked me, but this might help you understand where I'm coming from."

 

"Whatever you need," she murmured.

 

I studied the baby-soft kidskin stretched across her torso for a moment, trying to figure out where to start. Then the words just starting tumbling out of my mouth… "When I was sixteen, my folks decided to send me to prep school for gifted students on the East coast. That's where I met Janet. We were the only girls in the Air Force ROTC program and ended up roommates. We got to be good friends and did everything together. It was the two of us and two other friends, X and Legs. The four of us were practically inseparable, like the Four Musketeers. It was Legs and X that started calling us Dinky Jinx, because it was nonsense based on our initials." I smiled despite the pain that I knew was coming. "It didn't take us all that long to realize we were all gay and that bonded us even closer. After we graduated high school, we went onto college together and Janet and I ended up seeing each other. It wasn't really anything serious, we would just sleep together when we felt like it. We loved each other, sure, but it was more about a safe zone than anything else. Well, I guess I can't speak for Squirt; you'd have to ask her yourself. It… it went well until about six months before graduation. Janet had a lot of issues with her father, but it's not my place to say what they were. But she got scared that things weren't going to work out after graduation. Plus, we were both realizing that we were going to be Air Force officers, and as you well know, the Air Force isn't very keen on same sex relationships. We started to pull away from each other, trying to distance our feelings. Legs and X didn't understand. They were civilians. The stakes weren't as bad for them. And then Janet gave us the news that she was going to marry X. I knew it was just a ploy to cover her ass with the military, but it still hurt like hell. She'd asked me to be one of their witnesses, but I couldn't do it. That was the beginning of the downfall. On the surface, we were just like we'd always been, the Four Musketeers. We graduated, the four of us at the top of our class, and then went our separate ways. I kept in touch with X and Legs, but I just couldn't do it with Janet. It hurt too much. X told me how she was. They'd stayed married for a few years and then split up. But they still kept in touch."

 

++Karen++

 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Darya and the Doc? Lovers? And that look on her face when she'd mentioned the Four Musketeers. Obviously they were all very close. But how would that make any difference to how I perceived us as a potential couple? And she still hadn't explained this Em person. I could see how much it hurt her to tell me this, how much Janet had meant to her all those years ago. I wished I could erase the pain for her, but somehow I knew this wasn't over yet. So I took another pull off my beer and lightly stroked her hair.

 

"And then, I was stationed at Travis Air Force base just northeast of San Francisco, they had the best damn facility I've ever worked in, and caught up with Legs again. She lived in the city and took me out to introduce me to her friends. I met Em through Legs, and I'll always be grateful to her for that. See, Em was my first real love."

 

Now the pieces were starting to fit into the puzzle.

 

"I didn't know if I should date her at first. I found her incredibly interesting and attractive, especially that lovely strawberry blonde hair and those bright blue eyes. She was an artist, with this wild, eclectic style that I found utterly fascinating. We dated for about a year and a half, and it was more than serious. Serious enough that I just didn't want to hide anymore. I wanted people to know what Em meant to me. I wanted to have her as my partner. So I resigned my commission after just three years in the service. I gave it up for her, because I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. We settled in Tiburon and I opened a private practice there, with Legs as a part-time partner when her duties at UCSF allowed it. It was wonderful. We had this beautiful commitment ceremony."

 

At that, she choked up a bit; biting her lower lip to hold back the obvious pain these memories cost her. I squeezed her hard. I was beginning to see behind the smartass shrink, only to see that her pain defined her as much as her love for Emily.

 

"Em knew all about me from Legs. She knew about all four of us. In fact it was Em's intervention that got me and Squirt talking again. She dragged out of me what Squirt had meant to me, then managed to get in touch with her, thanks to Legs. She and Legs got Janet to fly out so we could talk. They ambushed us both, but in the end, it worked out. Janet was my witness at my commitment ceremony. And then, about a year later, we decided we wanted to have a baby. We tried for almost a year before I finally got pregnant. Janet and X were made Emily's guardians in case anything happened to us. Legs had declined because she felt she wasn't capable enough to take care of a baby, but she had no problems being the spoiling aunt." The faraway lilt to her voice cracked with the deepening strain of her tale. "Just two and a half months before Emily's first birthday, it happened. We were planning a trip out to the Napa Valley, just the three of us as a family. The night before we left, Em was picking up a few last minute things that we needed, extra diapers or something stupid like that. It was raining that night and she hated driving in the rain. It… it wasn't her fault. The guy was on his street bike, ran a red light and slammed right into the driver's side door. The officer said he was going about seventy-five. She never knew what hit her, and she was dead before the paramedics could get there. The sad thing was, I answered the door in my jammies, figuring Em had her hands full of last minute impulse buys. I wasn't expecting the police. They called Legs for me, waited until she got there to leave. She went with me to identify the body. But I think I'd known when it happened. I just had to put on the worn old flannels she loved the most. It had been one of the first things she ever gave me when we'd started dating. They were all worn and thin, but I couldn't part with them. X and Janet were there for the funeral and they stayed as long as they could, but it didn't help. I threw myself into my work and my daughter, I was almost obsessed." She trailed off for a moment, just resting against me, then pulled back to meet my gaze. The tears in her eyes sparkled in highlight to her pain. "Now do you see what my baggage is? Do you even want to have that chance anymore?"

 

I stared at her for a long moment, memorizing every line and tear track on her face. The color of her eyes as the liquid filled and drained from them. The way she chewed on her lower lip as she waited for my response. I considered everything she'd just told me, what it had meant for her to get that all out to a potential new girlfriend. And I found myself far more in awe of this woman than I thought I could be. I cupped her face in my good hand, my thumb brushing away the tears. When I spoke, my own voice was husky with emotion. "Thank you for your trust Darya. It's painfully clear that it took a lot for you to do it. As for your baggage? We all have it. Whenever you want to hear it, I'll tell you mine. But right now, there's nothing I'd like more than to kiss you. May I?"

 

She looked up into my eyes, and I saw the tears well up again as she whispered, "I'd like that."

 

Carefully, as if she might break, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. I wanted so much for and from her, but right now there was heaven in this compassionate, tender kiss.


	13. The Circle Expands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love, marriage and children change dynamics in so many varies ways...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: NC-17
> 
> Pairings: Art/Janet & Karen/Darya

**And the Plot Thickens**

**Day 28**

 

++Janet++

 

(9-11-99)

 

I had never been a patient here before. The local Academy Hospital had been my office away from the SCG since I had joined the project. I had spent enough time here to be distinctly uncomfortable as a patient here.

 

During our week-long honeymoon, the pregnancy had quite suddenly begun to show. It was as if our baby knew everything was okay now. Art chuckled as I squirmed on the exam table. "Relax," she purred softly. "None of your coworkers will tease you too badly."

 

" I'm nervous," was my hesitant response and her sweet grin melted my heart. Her tender, loving touch on my forehead calmed my fears and I let her soak into my soul. How any woman did this on her own was beyond me.

 

When someone knocked at the door, we both jumped and Art snatched her hand back guiltily. Then quickly, before the entering doctor could see, she caressed my forehead one more time. Then she was just the coach once more. I hated the charade even as I knew that we still had to play it. It was a relief to recognize the face of the gray-haired woman that stepped in, even as I couldn't come up with a name.

 

" Well this is a pleasure," she grinned and stepped further into the room. "It's always a good thing when doctors take their own advice. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Bonny Dudley, and you of course are the famous Captain Fraiser. Pleased to meet you."

 

Her calm and humor put us both immediately at ease. I immediately shook her offered hand and smiled warmly. "Likewise Colonel Dudley."

 

She waved off the formality and flashed white teeth. "Call me Bon. The last person in the world I'm going to be formal with is a fellow MD."

 

Bon looked to be in her late forties with twinkling hazel eyes and an easy-going matter. That gaze turned to my semi-secret lover and Art immediately jumped in. "I'm Sergeant Art Goldston, the coach."

 

Oh, few people would notice it, but I heard the catch in her voice. Bon either missed it, or deliberately ignored as she went about her work. She kept up a steady stream of patter as she tugged up the hospital gown and smeared the slick lubricant over my swelling belly before pressing the ultrasound wand to my skin. During all of this, Art casually slipped a hand into mine and I gripped onto her, hard. Then I saw it, even as Bon began to explain. "There we go, lookin' good."

 

Indeed, there was a tiny, indistinct form there, the little body curled up as though cold. I could only stare in absorption at the shifting image as Bon's voice faded into the background. Then my world screeched to a halt, Art's breath sucking between her teeth, our intertwined grip bruising.

 

" _The-eh mou..._ "

 

My God, indeed.

 

For not only was our child forming nicely and appeared to be perfectly healthy... but there were two.

 

**And Then There Were Nine**

**Day 29**

 

++Art++

 

(9-12-99)

 

" This place isn't going to be big enough for the five of us and the pets," I mused and Janet stirred lazily against me. We had been up late talking and making love with a tenderness that still made my chest tight with feeling. Now I just lazily ran my fingers over the silky expanse of her back and luxuriated in the tender quiet.

 

" You have a point," Janet hummed softly and nuzzled into my shoulder. "I suppose we should call a real estate agent and start looking, hmm?"

 

A finger hooked under my woman's chin brought her lips up to be kissed. "You're the breadwinner, oh my sexy Captain sugar momma. My piddly little E7 salary won't buy you a dream house."

 

Janet snorted lightly in amusement, her breath tickling over my chest. "Sugar momma," she scoffed and cuddled up closer to my side. "You're silly."

 

" And you love it."

 

" Yep."

 

There was another long, easy quiet while we each examined our thoughts.

 

" We could do it together," Janet finally offered in a quiet, oddly vulnerable tone.

 

" We're married, love. I'm yours now and forever and expect the same in return. I'd like a bigger place to raise our kids. Give the three of them more room to grow into."

 

" Cass would certainly love a bigger room."

 

" She's a teenager, of  course she'd love a bigger room. Considering her background, the option of independence is probably a good thing. Maybe we could even have enough space to give Sam her own room."

 

" She might like that."

 

" Might, nothin'. She'll love it. It'll keep her close to the kids and the pets."

 

" True," Janet agreed and took a deep breath before hauling herself bodily over me. Oh, I knew that look in her eye all too well. "But I'd rather not talk about Sam right now." The slow kiss she seduced me with was incentive enough.

 

House hunting would have to wait.

 

**The Furthest Distance I** **'ve Ever Known is from My Head to My Heart**

**Day 40**

 

++Darya++

 

(9-23-99)

 

It had been a long time coming.

 

Weeks of sly glances and soft touches, of gentle kisses and tender teasing had left me desperate for more.

 

If she didn't walk through that door and ride me like a prized mare over the finish line, I would go insane. Patience was wonderful and all, but she had proven that she valued me and now I wanted her to claim me, make me hers.

 

The clothes were chosen carefully, the sleeveless silver sweater buttoned low enough to show peeking hints of lacy underthings and a buttery calfskin skirt that Sam had practically ordered me to wear. It was the color of soft midnight and made my skin purr with pleasure at its touch. Only after some exploration would Karen find the satin garters holding up the sheer silk stockings. The delicate high heels were an extravagance I hadn't even tried to resist when I had spied them in the expensive store. They brought out the muscles in my legs and gave me some much-needed height.

 

It had been a light scent in the department store earlier that day that had finally convinced me to seduce Karen. The thought of her exploring my body to find the lingering smell of vanilla and honeysuckle, made my knees weak. Even now I had to wonder at what the salesgirl had made of my slow smile. Hopefully, it had sent her scurrying off to whoever would take her ache away...

 

The lights were low, the smell of sage and wildflowers gently scenting the air. Oh, I had paid attention to the things she liked with a single-minded intensity that I usually reserved for my precious science of the mind. None of that tonight, only her and me and this burn between us.

 

Then I heard it.

 

The lion's roar rumble of that mechanical monster that was so much a part of her. So I tucked back my unruly hair behind my ears and scrambled to finish up.

 

++Karen++

 

It had been a long day. Four days offworld and a  very long briefing to cap it off had left me desperate to just go home. Thankfully, Darya had called earlier in the evening to give me a quick hello and make me smile. She had been disappointed that I would be getting home so late, but promised to see me soon. So I'd grabbed a quick shower and dragged myself back into fatigues because I'd forgotten clean civvies again. Keys in hand, I went to the door of my little bungalow and let myself in.

 

A vision of pure heaven greeted me. I was so utterly and completely shocked that I dropped helmet and keys, never hearing them hit the floor. She was glorious in a stormy silver sweater and a skirt of the soft kidskin. One delicate foot was lifted so that she could dab at that little dimple at her ankle, soft hair cascading in a glittering waterfall of midnight red.

 

" Oh my," I breathed idiotically, struck as though by lightning by the spectacle. Those fathomless gray-green eyes peeked coyly from beneath her dark lashes for a long moment before she dropped her foot and sashayed over to me. Some distant part of my brain kicked the helmet and keys into the foyer and shut the door. Darya paused to brand me with that smoldering gaze, our body heat mingling.

 

" Take me," she whispered and smoothed her hands over my shoulders. "I love your gentleness and your sensitivity, but I  need you Karen." Only a hairs-breath away, her red painted lips almost on mine, she breathed the quietest of pleas. "Please."

 

Oh, I'd kissed her before when she was hot and bothered, slow, melting kisses that would make her whimper. But this was something entirely new. Like wildfire, like liquid heat she blazed across my soul, branded my body and made me quiver in awareness. All with a kiss.

 

Growling, I swept Darya's delicate frame into my arms and earned a throaty chuckle. Biting playfully at my lower lip, she purred softly and clung tight. There were candles in the bedroom, the fine flannel sheets soft and inviting on the bed. We melted together in the cozy nest and my hand wandered to map the contours of her torso. I appreciated the baby-soft cashmere and buttery kidskin that were warm with her heat. They were pulled away and she tugged urgently at my black t-shirt and the bra under it. 

 

The feel of her satin skin on mine was perfection. What had I done to deserve this wonderful woman? Smart, sexy and playful, she was a dream come true. She moaned in encouragement, nipping at me again. I began to learn her with mouth and hands, desperate to know her taste and smell. There were the long lines of muscles in her legs, the firm curves in upper arms, the corrugated patterns of flesh and bone across her ribs and belly.

 

The silky ribbons and lace were like a gilded frame around a priceless treasure. Darya whined and begged incoherently as I drew closer to the source of her deepest heat. Then there was no more time for teasing, her hand wanton and needy between my thighs, her slick heat filling my palm. It was a firestorm that burned hot and fast, leaving us both panting and winded.

 

" Holy shit," I murmured into Darya's silky tresses and she giggled weakly. "That was an amazing welcome home."

 

" Mmm," she agreed lazily and coaxed me into a slow kiss. With the hard edge off our combined desires, there was time to savor and appreciate. "You're welcome. I figured I needed to do something drastic to get your attention."

 

" All you had to do was ask."

 

" But this was far more fun."

 

" True." Temporarily sated, Darya's curvy frame was soft and pliant under my roving hand. We continued to kiss lazily while our hands wandered over new territory. There was a sensitive, tickly spot on the inside of her knees that made us both chuckle when she squirmed. Her gentle hands found that place right where my neck and shoulders met and my kisses grew more demanding. How I loved that hollow between bone and muscles stroked... oh yeah... just like that. Once she had me good and distracted, Darya kissed her way down my body and showed me how talented that smart mouth of hers really was. 

 

It was a slice of pure heaven that left me drained and panting into the bedding. Giggling again, Darya draped herself over my back, pressing me into the bed. "Mmm, that was nice," she purred and I glanced over my shoulder at her glittering eyes.

 

" I agree. May I return the favor?"

 

" In a minute. Will you tell me about some of these first?"

 

It shocked me how honest I was with her, even right from the start. The tattoos decorating patches of my skin on back and arms were intensely personal signposts of the life I'd led. There was the Indian tiger on my right shoulder blade, earned from the rough leather gang that had taught me the ropes of their trade. The complicated knot of symbolism that appeared vaguely like an Egyptian cartouche was from a lover that had given me more than she'd ever really know. That drew my mind's eye to the inverted crystal heart drawn in ink over my heart. That one meant more to me than all the others. That one was my mentor's mark, left there by the woman who had been the only mother I'd ever really known. There were images of things and ideals that each had a meaning. I was lost in my own memories when she coaxed me back with that gentle strength of a lioness that had attracted me in the first place. Soft green eyes welcomed me to the haven of her arms.

 

" Thank you Karen, for telling me all those things."

 

In turn I questioned the marks on her body: the butterfly tattoo above her left breast, the faded stretch marks on her belly that made her chuckle and tell me about being pregnant with Emily. We made love, sometimes rough and sometimes tender, and talked until we were both completely wiped out. The sky had grown pale in the windows and I hugged her tight enough to earn a squeak.

 

" That was a wonderful night Dare, I hope you have today off."

 

" Oh yeah. I figured we wouldn't get much sleep tonight. And since you just got back from a mission, I know you have a few days off. So it seemed like a good time."

 

" I'll say." Sprawled across me, Darya snuggled in and sighed happily. I pulled the blankets tighter around us and buried my nose in her hair. "G'night," I murmured softly and she hummed in response.

 

**The Perfect Abode**

**Day 44**

++Janet++

 

(9-27-99)

 

" Grrr," I grumbled irritably as I flipped through the massive pile of paperwork that our new real estate agent had provided us with. A chuckle made me look up into hazel eyes that danced with mirth and, despite myself, I grinned back. 

 

" Just remember that this crap only has to be done once. Buck up," my companion laughed and sprawled back lazily into the dining room chair. "And you've got a sweet little place here that will bring a  great price if I have anything to say about it."

 

With her close-shorn dyed-blonde hair, unusual jewelry and oh-so-serious corporate drag, Kara Michelin was a fun contrast that I liked having around. If her reputation was half as good as I'd heard, I suspected that my long and picky list of amenities for the new place should be met pretty damn closely. "So, my question is," I chuckled conversationally. "If you're as good as they say, then why are you still way out here in Colorado Springs?"

 

" There's plenty of work here, not just from the civilian folk, but for officers like yourself assigned to the mountain. It's rare that military gets to stay put long enough long enough to buy houses, but it's different here. Besides," Kara laughed suddenly. "I like soldiers. It took awhile to learn how to interact with most of them, but it was worth learning. Most like me because I'm off the beaten path and get the job done right."

 

" Good enough for me."

 

The shrill ringing of a cell phone interrupted the bantering, so Kara shrugged and fished it out of a pocket while I returned to the paperwork. While she spoke to someone that was obviously from her office, the sound of the front door opening distracted my attention. Adoration flooded through me as Art stepped in, teasing someone behind her. "Don't let them bug you. Someday the world will appreciate your brains, I mean, look at Sam." Then the blue eyes met mine and she smiled as Cass stepped in. The affection vanished with the realization that there was a stranger in the room. There was a distinct pause in Kara's conversation as she eyed the dark woman in fatigues and the teen behind her.

 

" Sweet, I'll call you back with the details. Great. Just send that email. Later babe." As Kara wrapped up her conversation, she pocketed the cell phone and stepped up to Art with an outstretched hand. "Kara Michelin, you must be Art Goldston, pleased to meet you. And you must be Cassandra. I'm your real estate agent."

 

" Oh," Art answered as she took in the information, "That's right, I recognize your name now. Thanks for being here."

 

" My pleasure, sorry it took me two weeks to get to you guys. You done with that stuff Janet?"

 

" Mostly," I sighed as Art walked towards me. There was some days that hiding how I felt about her was excruciating. Since we'd been married less than a month and my pregnancy hormones were turning me hornier than a dog in heat, this was one of those times. Unfortunately, I had to suffice with a warm hand on my shoulder. I didn't like that she wasn't on the paperwork for the house, but there would be far less danger by keeping up the appearance that she was just my roommate. 

 

" Great," Kara enthused, breaking our eyelock. "Because I think my partner has found the perfect place."

 

We all blinked at her in surprise, and Cassie spoke first. "Mom, I thought you said finding a house took a long time."

 

" It does," I protested and Kara laughed.

 

" It  usually does, but this time the circumstances are a little weird. There's this wonderful old couple that live right down the street from Mic and I. Mic's my partner in all senses of the word." Okay, that little confession startled me and made Art's gentle hand on my shoulder tighten for a brief moment. Relief flooded my system as I realized that our secret would be safe with this woman. "They've been making noises about wanting to move into a smaller place, but have been really reluctant to actually do it. They want a young, nice family who'll love the place as much as they do. It'll need some work to modernize the place, but it would be worth it. Interested?"

 

++Cassie++

 

So that's how we met Harold and Virginia. The place was amazing; an enormous house sprawled out at the end of a residential street on a piece of land that dwarfed everything around it. The street sloped up towards the house, leaving me to guess that there were some awesome views, especially on the second floor. There were even a few kids my own age playing basketball in a driveway we drove past and I felt a rush of relief. There would be people I could befriend here. There were several license plates on cars that marked them as government vehicles. Those should belong to other soldiers, which could be a good or bad thing for mom and Art. "I like the neighborhood," I said quietly and Art patted my leg. She was sharing the backseat with me and seemed to be checking out the same things I was.

 

We clambered out of the car at the base of the wide driveway and got our first good look at the 'perfect' house. "It's... ummm... big," I hedged and earned a smile from Kara.

 

" It needs some serious landscaping and plenty of cosmetic work inside and out. But the structure's sound and the price is very good. Come on."

 

Before we even reached the door, it flew open to reveal a stooped old man with a walker. He eyed us shrewdly and flashed a crooked grin.  "Kara, you troublemaker, good to see ya darlin'."

 

" Hello Harold, these are the people Mic told you about."

 

" Oh?" he intoned curiously, the bright eyes taking in mom, then Art and then me. His smile coaxed me to smile back. "You like it?"

 

Unsure of how to answer the blunt question, I shrugged awkwardly and sidled in closer to Art. "I haven't seen it all yet."

 

Harold chuckled, "Well then come on in kiddo, and bring your folks with ya."

 

++Art++

 

I wasn't entirely certain how to take the 'folks' comment, but I did see the tension across Janet's shoulders. As I stepped forward to reassure my wife, Harold was suddenly underfoot. Old man or not, there was plenty of sly intelligence in his eyes. "MP, huh? That's a handsome dog you got there."

 

" First Sergeant Artemis Goldston sir. This is Lucky."

 

" Army?"

 

" Yes sir."

 

" I was a Marine myself, infantry."

 

Unsure how to respond to the clipped, matter-of-fact way he'd said that, I remained still and respectful. The shrewdness deepened into a piercing glare. "You've seen action soldier."

 

No use trying to fool him. "Yes sir. I was in Bosnia and took a grenade at close range protecting my assigned squad."

 

That surprised him and I was rewarded with a soft, understanding smile. "Yeah, I know how that is. Took three rounds in the South Pacific in '44. Never forget it, huh?"

 

" No sir," I agreed with quiet fervor. 

 

" Well then," he was suddenly cheerful again and turned his attention to Janet. "What about you?"

 

" Captain Janet Fraiser sir. I'm a doctor at the Academy hospital."

 

" Air Force?"

 

Janet sighed, knowing it was coming. "Yes sir."

 

" Well, at least you're a doctor," Harold complained good-naturedly and I tried not to grin in amusement.

 

Harold's wife Virginia was a delightful woman who was every inch his equal. After fussing over us for a moment, she gave us free rein of the house. So I grabbed Cass in one hand and my sweetie in the other to go explore.

 

++Janet++

 

There was a paranoid part of me that wanted to shake off Art's warm grip on my hand. We were in the company of strangers and old habits didn't die easily. The kitchen was enormous, if not hideously ugly in its sixties décor and seventies colors.

 

" You don't like it," Art chuckled and threw her arms over mine and Cassie's shoulders.

 

" Umm," Cass hedged and Art laughed harder.

 

" Okay, picture the room in a different color, maybe a soothing light green or blue, with solid, dark countertops and lots of lights in the ceiling."

 

" Floors?"

 

" Hell yes! Maybe big terra cotta tiles? Or hardwood?"

 

I was starting to see it now, the possibilities of the old room, as well as what we could do with the living room where the old couple waited and the foyer we'd passed through. Cassie began wandering around to peer in curiosity at this building that just might be her new home. When she stepped into the hallway I assumed led to the backyard, Art grabbed me in a rough hug. "Art! What're you..." It wasn't the first time my love had rendered me speechless with a kiss and it certainly wouldn't be the last. 

 

" Relax love," she purred softly. "I know this is unnerving, but I'm here for both of you."

 

" Thank you," I whispered and hugged her tightly. A sudden yelp sent us scrambling down the hall to find Cassie standing in a crowded, dingy room with a sliding glass door. "What's wrong?"

 

" Nothing! Look at the yard!" It was a massive forest of overgrown brush and trees that nearly concealed a full-sized pool. "Will Lucky like it?"

 

" Let's find out."

 

++Cassie++

 

Lucky loved the yard, wanting to stick her nose into every overgrown corner and leading us to a battered old shed full of rusty tools. That room with the glass door next to the garage was  mine . I loved it. There were two small bedrooms upstairs that the twins would occupy one day. Then we peered into the dark master bedroom with its huge bathroom and I knew mom was hooked. Art seemed pleased by the house as a whole, particularly the size of the yards and the quiet, family atmosphere of the neighborhood. 

 

" We love it!" I crowed enthusiastically at Harold and Virginia as we returned to the living room. They laughed in delight and I happily obeyed Virginia's gesture to sit beside her. "This place is so big, and you've had it for so long. Are you sure you want to go?"

 

" Harold and his Marine buddies built this place in 1959 when they started hollowing out Cheyenne Mountain."

 

" Raised five fine children here," Harold added proudly where he sprawled on his battered old lounge chair. "There should be children in this damn house. It's too empty."

 

" When are you due sweetie?"

 

Mom's eyes got round and her pupils contracted in what I realized was panic. I moved to grab her hand even as Art had to restrain her protective instincts with obvious effort. She rested a hand on each of us and smiled gamely, pulling that 'doctor' control around herself like armor. "February."

 

Virginia nodded sagely and the gray eyes behind the spectacles rested on me. "Are you hoping for a brother or sister honey?"

 

" Both," I quipped and mom gave me a half startled and half amused look. "Mom adopted me after an accident killed my family a few years ago. The bigger the family the better." Harold and Virginia seemed at a loss for words and Kara was gawking openly. "It's okay. I'm very happy now and I'm jazzed about siblings."

 

" Twins," mom explained softly as she wrapped me in a soft hug. It still felt a little weird to tower over her the way I was starting to. I was steadily gaining on Sam in fact. Harold suddenly smacked the arm of his chair and fired his wife a loaded look. There was a whole conversation conveyed in that long glance before Virginia nodded slowly.

 

" You've got the paperwork Kara?"

 

Startled at suddenly being addressed, Kara perked up. "Yes."

 

" Then finish it kiddo. Doctor Fraiser? I hope you enjoy your new house."

 

**Only Then Did I Know Her**

**Day 62**

 

++Darya++

 

(10-15-99)

 

It had been a long day. Briefings, meetings, sessions with my clientele, a few minor emergencies, I'd dealt with it all in the last 13 hours.

 

And every time I turned around, it seemed  she was underfoot. Dropping off supplies in the Infirmary, having a scraped hand looked at, directing a training exercise, chatting with pals in the Commissary, collecting Billy after his session with me.

 

And every time I could feel the feral burn of her magnetic eyes. It was like being stalked by a patient predator. Every move was so deliberate that all of it seemed to be a series of casual coincidences. So I spent my day on the knife's edge, far too aware of her... and far too aware of me.

 

A wince crossed my face as I noted the time in my car's clock. These long days were kicking my ass. Thank the goddess for Cassandra keeping track of Emily, or I'd have gone insane by now. Maybe I should have called Karen... asked her to come over for some TLC. My empty house was going to be hard to be in tonight, with my daughter and lover both away. But Karen and I seemed to have hit an impasse emotionally, the specters of her dark past and my feelings for Emily's namesake hovering over us like a dark cloud. We hadn't really discussed it, but neither of us seemed to be ready to cross that line...

 

When I hit the remote for the garage door nothing happened. Repeated pressing of the button and a few choice curses did not make a bit of difference. Now thoroughly pissed off, I left the car in the driveway and stormed up to the house.

 

Only to stop dead in my tracks upon slamming the door open.

 

My plain entry hall had been transformed into something that looked like a gothic altar. Glittery black cloth was draped over the table and an archaic oil lamp cast mysterious shadows. It illuminated a beautiful cut crystal vase overflowing with purple roses so dark they were almost black.

 

Shaken by the display, I absently shut and locked the door before approaching. The roses smelled thick and heavenly, the prefect accompaniment to my pounding heart. There was a heavy black card leaning against the vase with my name written across it in gold ink. With trembling fingers I picked it up and stared at Karen's sensual handwriting. This was going to be big... life-shatteringly important and I knew it with every fiber of my being. Long heartbeats passed until I forced myself to calm down... and turned the card over.

 

My dearest Darya,

There are things we have never shared, dark corners never brought to the light. You need to know all of me now. Trust me, my love, for I would never harm you. Leave your clothing here and come to me in the place where you sleep.

-Karen

 

Again my hands shook as I remembered her riding leathers and the predatory danger I had always sensed lurking behind her innate kindness. All the time we had courted, that dangerous part of her had lain dormant, put aside like the motorcycles she loved so much. The big machines terrified me, memories of Em's death reflected in their shiny metal hides.

 

Yet... they were so much a part of her. So much a part of that lurking predator in her eyes that scared and thrilled me. Dare I? Dare I accept all that she was? Perversely, I could almost hear O'Neill taunting, "dare ya!"

 

The smile that crept across my face clinched it. I trusted her implicitly and was willing to prove it. As I began to strip, the trembling grew in anticipation of what was going to be one hell of a ride.

 

++Karen++

 

When the car pulled into the driveway, my guts clenched into complicated knots of nervous tension. I was terrified that this would push her too far, terrified to have the cool psychiatrist standing aloof from the feral needs inside me. I so badly needed to coax out the warm, sexy woman under that glass-calm exterior and make her completely mine.

 

Once and for all I needed to  believe that Emma's ghost did not stand between us. There was still a part of me that railed and cursed the woman who held such a sacred place in Darya's heart. Only deep soul searching had brought me to a point where I could meet that ghost in peace. I would be the worst kind of fool not to acknowledge that Darya would always love Em and the beautiful child who bore her name. I would never replace that love and was now certain enough with myself and my lover to understand that I didn't  want to replace that deep love. I wished to create a new place in Darya's heart, to be a part of her and little Emily's lives. So tonight there would be no more pretenses between us, she would see all of me, the good and the bad.

 

I had lain of this bed for hours and sifted through my memories. Not just my own, but what Darya had told me of that deep love that she had lost. I had pulled down a picture from the hallway and even now glanced again at the image of them, happy and laughing in the sunlight. At last I had made peace with Emily and this house full of memories, felt the calmness in my soul. I had sprawled out onto the bed and let the memories sweep me away until I had heard the car.

 

It was suddenly stifling hot in my oldest and most beloved suit of leathers. So much had happened to me in this armor of hide and memories. Scooting down the end of the bed, I took one last glance at the picture before setting it aside. Running my fingers through my loose hair, I reached deep inside for that calmness I had found ... and waited.

 

++Darya++

 

A long beat passed while I stood outside my bedroom and tried to find some calm. Faint light radiated out from beneath the door, but there was only silence. Then the anticipation became too much and the door clicked open at my touch.

 

I was frozen in place, only able to stare. The heavy leathers were bulky on her, hinting coyly at what lay beneath. They glittered darkly in the dozens of candles around the room, their color a deep russet brown that was almost black. The white shirt stood out shockingly against the darkness of the leathers and the unfamiliar black comforter on the bed. That glorious flaming hair cascaded over the dark hide and framed her lowered face. Her gloved hands were draped loosely on her bent knees, the thin calfskin tight against her fine hands. Ever so slowly she shifted, the well-loved leather creaking ever so softly and I saw the emerald eyes peer at me calmly.

 

Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn into the room by her heat. When she moved, the leather spoke softly and made me shiver reflexively. One gloved hand reached out to point a remote to a corner and soft, intense music wafted through the room.

 

" Come here," the low voice purred softly, the predator lurking in her tone. I was helpless to resist. As I came to a halt between her knees, those hands raised to touch my nervous tummy, feather-soft. Like the flutter of butterfly wings, they brushed over my flesh. It was an astonishing sensation as the buttery kidskin felt so different and yet so similar to her familiar touch. Then Karen began to speak in a low, hypnotic tone.

 

" I made peace with Em today. It wasn't easy, but..." With a start of surprise, I realized that she didn't mean the baby. When the gemstone eyes met mine, there was a sharp clarity of purpose there that shook me. "Now I'm ready for you to know all of me."

 

Both hands flattened against my belly and I grabbed her shoulders for balance. They quickly wrapped around my hipbones as I hissed in reaction to the full sensation of their texture and heat. What little sanity I still possessed was lost as she mapped me with those rough-gentle hands. Every caress was different, delicate one moment, heavily pressing my flesh against my bones the next. All I could do was grab handfuls of the cloth-soft leather and go along for the ride.

 

" So beautiful," I heard her murmur thickly and my knees started to buckle as she felt the long muscles of my tense thighs. Instantly, both thumbs were pressed into the baby-soft flesh where hip and leg joined. "Ah ah," she purred. "On your feet. I'm not done with you yet."

 

Indeed, I found out that she had barely begun ! Thumbs still hooked into the pulsepoints on either side of my sex, she leaned in to press kisses to my belly. Like her hands, the caresses of mouth, teeth and tongue ranged from the barest brush to almost painful. From the silky touch of just the tip of her tongue to the sharp nip of teeth, she marked me as hers. It was impossibly sensual and effective, this feral seduction.

 

As I began to whimper and cry out from the stimulation, Karen suddenly growled and surged to her feet, gathering up my small frame as she rose. I threw arms and legs around her and only then did our mouths meet, crushed together in a kiss that burned like fire in my veins. The bulk of the leathers against my naked skin, blunting the lines of her muscular body, was an amazing sensation. The kiss was broken only long enough for her to settle both our bodies onto the bed, her weight pinning me heavily. Sensation was fractured and all consuming, hands and mouth, her body covering mine... Then a gloved hand slid between my legs and deep inside.

 

Illicit and shocking, the touch shattered through me, her demanding mouth swallowing my cries of release. Never had anyone dredged up such powerful reactions, forced me to feel so much, so fast.

 

Delirious and disoriented, I stared up into her shadowed eyes and finally saw it all. All her pain and joy and fear and strength and love. All of it wrapped up in this one multifaceted woman, as loving as a teddy bear and fierce as a protective grizzly. She loved me... us... the reality of that burst over me with a flood of emotions and tears that I was powerless to stop.

 

For I had learned to love again.

 

**Let the Games Begin**

**Day 70**

 

++Art++

(10-23-99)

 

" Tell me again how in the name of God I let those apes get involved in this?" My wife griped and, while I didn't dare laugh, Mac certainly felt no compunction to contain herself. Amazing how much destruction a quartet of Marines could wreak. 

 

" Hon, it was just the coffee table. Bob already said he'd get it replaced," I soothed and Janet subsided with a grumble. 

 

" I've gotten attached to my things. It wasn't something I could afford to do until I was assigned here."

 

The Marines had been invaluable if not a tad ... enthusiastic. Thank God my squad was there as well, or we might not have a stick of furniture left. With the herd of Shepherds in the back yard, the K9 officers were pitching in as well. Leaving Mac to keep the boys on a short leash, I dragged Janet into the backyard for some peace and quiet. SG3 and the SGDs had spent the last three weeks with Cass and I and the rest of SG1 clearing out the backyard. It was huge without all the choking underbrush, even if it looked empty now. But I had found the perfect cuddle spot right within the first few days of all that work. A thick grove of trees way in the back of the property had the perfect gap in the center where a sturdy hammock now resided. 

 

" We don't have time Art," Janet whined as I patted each dog on the nose to reassure him or her of our presence in the big yard. Once they had each sniffed us over, I tugged at Janet until she was cuddled up against me in the hammock. While her brain might be objecting, her body was more than willing to melt into my side. It was an unseasonably warm day in the mid-fifties and we would be fine for a while here.

 

" We have all the time in the world love," came out on a purr and Janet burrowed closer. It was such a thrill to feel the firming bulge of the twins whenever she cuddled into me. There was no mistaking Janet as anything but pregnant at this point in time, even in the thick down jacket that we'd swiped from Daniel. It was the only thing that didn't constrict her anymore while she was in the cold. At the rate she was swelling up, she would be in Teal'c's jacket before too long. "Y'know, I never thanked you."

 

Janet stirred against me and yawned. "For what?"

 

" Giving me a family."

 

Ah, I truly adored that soft smile and the way it made her dark eyes dance. "My pleasure  _ahn-dhras_ ( _husband_ )."

 

++Janet++

 

It still amazed me how well this deeply layered woman knew me. Beautiful, smart, loving and loyal, she was all I wanted or needed in a mate. The new life stirring in my body was a gift that defied all odds and left me unutterably grateful to Art for everything. The twins would bring an aspect of family to us that I never expected and wasn't entirely certain how to adapt to this new chapter in my life. How does any woman adapt to the idea of being pregnant for the first time? Art was kissing and nuzzling my crown, giving me a welcome excuse to catch her smiling mouth in a slow kiss. "Damn shame we've got so much company," I breathed after long moments lost in her taste and feel.

 

" Later  _agapee-mou_ . We'll christen our new house tonight, or tomorrow if we're too tired." Another sweet kiss warmed me. "I promise." Raised voices caught our attention, one of them obviously Harold's. "Sounds like Cassie's new grandpa is out there haranguing the Marines. Good. Shall we go cheer him on?"

 

" Let's."

 

Not only had Harold and Virginia arrived, but Sam 's battered Jeep was pulling up as well. The passenger door opened and a strange young man I vaguely recognized stepped out to squint up at the sun. "It's beautiful!" He called out happily, an odd accent obvious in his voice. All of us paused as Sam and Daniel piled out of the Jeep with various levels of fondness and amusement on their faces. The former lit up when she saw us and trotted over to say hello. 

 

" Sorry I'm late, I..."

 

Art grabbed her in a rough bear hug that made Sam squeak and praised her lovingly.  "You're here, that's all that matters. Who's your friend?"

 

A gesture had the strange man bouncing happily over to Sam. He was slim and good-looking in that almost girlishly beautiful way, with long inky hair in dreadlocks. His features were smooth yet angular, and his skin deeply bronzed. The contrast of his darkness with Sam's pale coloring when she threw an arm around his shoulders, reminded me of my two favorite women together. "Art, this is Skaara. Skaara, this is my best friend Art I told you about."

 

Immediately, Art lit up in delight as she recognized the name as quickly as I did. "Very pleased to meet you Skarra, I've heard all about you," she enthused and he had obviously been couched on the handshake ritual.

 

" Sam told me of you as well. I have come to assist in any way that I can."

 

Something passed between Art and Skarra, a spark of an understanding that made no sense from the outside. "Happy to have you here. Have you met the others?"

 

" No."

 

" Have any of you eaten?"

 

" Ummm," Sam hedged and earned smiles.

 

" I'll take that as a no. C'mon then, let's get you fed and put to work, huh?"

 

"' Kay."

 

Keeping hold of Skaara's hand and tucking Sam into a loose headlock, Art headed for my car where the coolers of lunchmeat and beers were. Young Skaara eyed his sandwich curiously until Sam laughed and gestured to where Daniel was eating his enthusiastically. Art kept poking Sam in the ribs when she tried to eat, eliciting giggles I could hear all the way across the big front yard. The women were so much fun to watch together, like playful wolf packmates that were only serious when it came to business. The other soldiers drifted over to be introduced and grab a breather while Virginia dawdled over to join me at my little corner of the sprawling porch. "How are you doing sweetie?"

 

" Okay," I grinned at the elderly woman and gestured to the collapsible chair beside me. "Just wishing I could help out more."

 

" I'm sure your family understands."

 

I knew they did, but it still felt odd to just sit back while the big moving truck was unloaded. Until the furniture was in place and we could get to the boxes, I was pretty much useless. Over the last week or so, the Marines had been invaluable in upgrading the deserted house. Painting, knocking out a few walls, some rewiring and new plumbing, they had been tireless and uncomplaining. I was dying to try out my new bathroom upstairs, with its oversized whirlpool tub and deep plush carpeting. That, and my hormones were boiling like a teenager's. I was horny enough to be ogling nearly every straining and sweaty body that paraded about my new home. Poor Art might not survive the night...

 

++Sam++

 

It was done. At least as much as this kind of upheaval could be done in the course of one day. Everything owned by Janet, Cassandra and Art was within the confines of this building. Amazing how much crap had accumulated in the almost year and a half since Cassie had come into our lives. Thankfully, the teen seemed to be handling the move with little stress. Only a few minutes ago she'd happily kissed us all goodnight and pranced off to her new room. Now I was alone in the disarrayed living room with Bob sprawled into the couch beside me. As though sensing I was suddenly aware of him, Bob looped an arm around my neck and tugged me into his strong body. "Hey baby," he purred softly. "I'm glad to see you."

 

My sudden yawn made him chuckle and shift our bodies around on the couch. Now I was spooned against his larger body to be cuddled warmly. "Sorry," I murmured through the sleep dragging me down.

 

" Sorry nothin'," was murmured reassuringly in my ear with a gentle kiss. "I like just holding you. Now sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

 

" Mmmm..."

 

(10-24-99)

 

Cloudy sunlight and soft sounds woke me what seemed like minutes later. Before I even opened my eyes, I knew it was Art. In all my life, I had never been so aware of another person, the way I always was with her. As comfortable as I was curled up with Bob, I really needed to see her. "Stay," I murmured as Bob stirred in response to my getting up. He subsided with a gentle kiss, but grumbled at me to come back soon. 

 

Art was standing at the big bay window, watching the sun grow rosy in the sky. A pensive expression floated in the steam from her coffee. "Do you miss her?"

 

Somehow I knew that she meant my mother.  "All the time." After a moment of hesitation, I gave in to the impulse to step into Art's personal space and wrap my arms around her waist. "It never goes away."

 

" I miss them Sam," Art whispered, her tone aching. She had spoken a few times about losing her parents in the car accident, but had always seemed so matter-of-fact about it. I should have known better and squeezed her ribcage tightly. There were fingers skritching my scalp as we stood in a heavy quiet. "Despite the fact that I could have never told my folks the truth about the twins..."

 

" They would have loved them anyway."

 

Art sighed and gave me a gentle and affectionate head-butt that set us both giggling softly. 

 

++Art++

 

" You're the best Sam," I whispered and she buried her face in my neck in embarrassment. "Deny it all you want, it won't change how I feel. You hungry?"

 

" Yeah," came her soft reply, but neither of us made any move to separate. "In a little while."

 

Time stretched on, meaningless, as we watched the sun rise. Eventually, Sam started to grow heavy against my back and I gently shooed her back to Bob's arms with a ruffle to the gold hair. That left me to return to my beloved and wait for our day to truly begin.

 

**Smile and Say Boo** **!**

 

(10-31-99)

 

" C'mon woman," I bellowed down the hallway and ignored the amused and annoyed glances from my fellow soldiers. "You promised Cassandra and Skaara!"

 

" I'm coming! I'm coming!"

 

" I don't want to know about your personal life, just hurry up!"

 

" Hey!"

 

Chuckles sounded around the hallway as I grinned and continued on my errand. Sam would be done soon enough or I 'd drag her butt out of the mountain. How I loved being her friend, not just because I adored her, but it also gave me a chance to sass someone with gold on their shoulders. By the time I wrapped up my paperwork for the security detail and headed back, Sam was wandering down the hallway, shrugging into her jacket. "You ready?"

 

" Yeah. Let's do this."

 

Despite the chaos of moving and having half the household still in boxes, Cass was determined to go trick-or-treating. In her enthusiasm, she had both befriended Skaara and gotten him just as enthusiastic to celebrate his first earth holiday. I had a suspicion that part of that was due to Emily's enthusiasm for her new 'big brother'. The house was lit cheerfully in the fading dusk, the Jack o' lanterns flickering and crepe paper ghosts fluttering in the winter-bare trees. "This place looks great. The kids did a great job decorating. I wonder if they're ready to go. Let's ring the doorbell and give them a surprise." Chuckling in delight, I trotted to the door and poked the bell.

 

" You goof," Sam chuckled as she wandered up behind me. The door clicked open and I was forced to chuckle at my wife in her cheesy kitty ears and painted on whiskers.

 

" Trick or treat!" Sam and I crowed in stereo, causing Janet to laugh in delight. 

 

" Well look at this, a pair of cute soldiers," Janet flirted outrageously and we both grinned. Then, from under the bowl of candy, came an icy stream of water to arc across my cheekbones and Sam's chest. "Trick," Janet smirked evilly and showed us the hidden squirt pistol while we could only gawk in astonishment.

 

Our howls of laughter drew out the kids to have their costumes cooed over and admired. Skaara had bonded with both Emily and Cassandra as though they had been his sisters for life. It was heartening to see him bond to new people, even as I remembered shooting Amounet and cringed. Sha're had been dead for a long time before my gun had taken her life, and I had gained Daniel's forgiveness, but I could never forget what I had been forced to do.

 

Luckily, this handsome young man who could have been my brother, understood what it was to be a Goa'uld all too well. There was no question that he didn't hold my actions against me. I still remembered his words as we'd discussed his sister's death while unpacking.

 

" Better dead than a slave."

 

" Unca Art!" Was my only warning as Emily toddled around the corner to attack my knees. "Look! Line King!" 

 

" Ooof," I chuckled and scooped Emily up to be admired. She was so proud of the blonde lioness suit that her mom had managed to track down and tailor to size. "You look just like Nala sweetie."

 

" Grrrr," Emily growled and we laughed. "Look! 'Imba!"

 

So that 's what she'd gotten Skaara to do. Daniel was behind him dressed as Mufasa, and Cassie as another lioness. "C'mon Sam, let's go get the hyena suits on." 

 

With Teal'c as Rafiki the baboon, Darya as yet another lioness and Karen as the third hyena, we were suited up and ready to entertain the kids. It was going to be a great night.


	14. Heart of the Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How many shocks can one person take? And when it becomes too much… who will help you carry on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: PG, angst warning.
> 
> Pairings: Art/ Janet. Karen/Darya

**Day 97**

 

++Art++

 

(11-19-99)

 

It had been hard to be a part of General Hammond's 'find the mole' program. Everyone was suspect and it was making me more than a little paranoid. Only days after O'Neill's loss on P5C-768, I was volunteered to essentially take his place. The task had proved to be an insurmountable wall from the start. Whoever was passing secrets from the SGC was good. Damn good. Day after day of suspecting everybody was draining and it outraged the cop in me to be thwarted so completely.

 

Couple that with my surprise offspring, the shotgun wedding, my hormonal wife, the new SGD's and Sam slaving away like a woman possessed and I was worn a little thin. It was oddly Cassandra who was instrumental in holding together my sanity in these long months. That delightful girl was a wonderful, calming presence as we quietly bonded over movies and board games and homework. Cooper was happily settled in and Lucky seemed fine with her new packmates. The quiet nights spent at home with my girls and my dogs were the best kind of peace. 

 

Then, at last, the day arrived. The particle accelerator was complete. I unceremoniously grabbed Sam by her collar and bodily dragged her out of the lab. 

 

"You need sleep," I told her with real steel in my tone. "Let Siler and Karen and the others install it and you can do the fine tuning after a nap."

 

There were several muttered curses, but she was too drained to object much. Lucky's vigil at her door ensured that my pal would not sneak out and I was free to return to the others alone. Siler flashed me a grateful grin and we got down to the nuts and bolts work. It pleased me that Karen had been so involved in this project. Every time she was around seemed to herald good luck for SG1. That, and I simply liked her a ton and liked how she treated Darya and Emily. It didn't take long to move the generator into the Gate Room and we were soon up to our elbows in wires and hardware.

 

**Day 100**

 

++Sam++

 

(11-21-99)

 

We got him back.

 

Three months, eight days and fourteen hours ago I charged through the Stargate with Teal'c and left O'Neill behind. My life had been hell ever since. And now we stood on the surface of P5C-768 and watched him stare at us as though we were complete strangers. Watching him with the farmers he had been stranded with, a thought occurred to me.

 

He wasn't happy to see us.

 

I felt sick inside. All that work and he was reluctant to go home. 

 

And then… it got worse.

 

What had happened to O'Neill in those months he'd been trapped here? We all stared in open-mouthed shock as he told General Hammond off, the surreal scene dissolving into angry shouting. This wasn't like him! Sure, O'Neill was irreverent and pushy and occasionally a little out of line, but this… this wasn't him. 

 

### A Stranger Among Us

 

(11-26-99)

 

It was bad enough he made us, his teammates and supposed family, feel so awful. It was bad enough this angry stranger had turned on General Hammond, and then on us. But this new, surly O'Neill had gone and stolen alien technology we'd been expressly forbidden to touch by an ally. An ally! We were so stunned that we could only stare as the Tollan came to Earth to demand their property be returned. When the Tollan had insisted that O'Neill be punished, he'd had the gall to sneer at them. We'd been working with these people for years and, while they were condescending to us, they didn't deserve the way he was treating them. I felt like I'd lost a hero and friend as O'Neill stripped himself of rank and pride, storming from the room as though the Tollan had insulted him.

 

Daniel, Teal'c, Art and I were left alone in the Briefing Room, too stunned to even talk about what had happened. Three months, eight days and fourteen hours I'd slaved away to return our leader to us.

 

Only to have gotten a monster.

 

++Daniel++

 

I'd only stayed in this damn mountain for them. I had wanted so badly to get away once Sha're had been killed. She had been my reason to go on, the magical quest of finding my love and freeing her from her captors. Instead, I was forced to watch the life fade from her eyes. I'd been persuaded to stay by the family that I'd made in this godforsaken bunker deep in the earth. 

 

I wanted to run away again.

 

What had happened to Jack? I couldn't believe this, couldn't believe his rage and hate and betrayal. And then he'd quit.

 

He'd quit! 

 

How dare he! After everything we'd been through, all the blood and sweat and fears, he'd betrayed us and then quit. Only Sam's devastated expression had kept me here, only the flinty hurt in Teal'c's gaze. And now General Hammond wanted us to listen to Colonel Makepeace. I knew he was Art's pal, and that Sam had been dating him off and on for months. Beyond that, he was just another uniform to me, and I was none to happy with the supposed solution.

 

I was only here for Sam and Teal'c and Art.

 

# The Truth Hurts

 

++Art++

 

(12-3-99)

 

It was like a mad movie director's slow motion sequence. The Earth traitors poured in a steady stream from where Jack stood with his arm deep in the shimmering event horizon to prevent it from closing. One by one, they were slapped into restraints and herded into a corner. We of SG1 were there, gawking at our scruffy former team leader. Then he walked down the ramp and casually asked Bob for one of the zip ties. And my horrified brain figured it out even as it was happening.

 

Bob was the mole.

 

Even as O'Neill grabbed Bob's wrists to restrain him, my gun was out and aimed right between my pal's wide eyes. It was an unconscious move, one dictated by training and experience. Bob's angry eyes swung from Jack to meet mine over the barrel of the pistol. Betrayal warred with duty and it was hard to keep my hands from shaking.

 

He said something about defending Earth, but I barely heard. Beside me, Sam sucked in her breath as the truth sank home. "I'm sorry," he whispered in an agonized voice and it hurt all the worse to know that he really meant it.

 

With a strangled noise, Sam turned and fled from the scene. I was torn between her and duty until Jack waved me away. "Go after her."

 

The memory of the empathetic agony in his brown eyes spurred me after Sam. In her lab, I grabbed her roughly and we clung to one another in heartfelt desperation. "Oh _Theh-mou_ , Sam. I didn't know, I couldn't have even guessed… I'm so sorry."

 

They were inadequate, my words. There was nothing anyone could do to make this terrible shock any easier on anybody involved. Lucky, bless her heart, leaned hard against us and whined in sympathy while licking Sam's hands where they clutched my clothes.

 

This hurt on all levels.

 

Professionally, I had failed to notice any signs that might have led to him. In blithe ignorance, I had allowed him to continue with illicit activities that I had been tasked with stopping. The cop in me raged impotently. Personally, I was devastated. This man had stood with me at my wedding, was my best friend's lover. Sam shivered in my hold and I gripped her painfully tight to me. For this beloved woman's sake, I would set aside my own hurt and rage in order to help her through this. There would be time later for my feelings. "I'm here Sam, I'll always be here."

 

Her shuddering breathing terrified me, she sounded like she was going into shock and there were slow tears leaking onto my neck. Finally, I clamped Sam's taller frame into a headlock as I had done in the 'Foothold' incident. And again it worked as she relaxed trustingly in to my grip and allowed me to drag her to the Infirmary. Stone-faced, I came into the Infirmary while Sam trembled and gamely tried to hold in her hysteria. When Janet saw my expression, she shoved the binder in her hands off to her assistant and rushed over. "Art, what's wrong?"

 

"Bob's the mole," I hissed and she looked puzzled. Sam shivered and I clamped down briefly, hard enough to make her squeak and cling all the more tightly to me.

 

In Janet's office, I explained to the two most important people in my life what O'Neill and I had been involved with. There seemed little point in keeping anything from them. Sam remained clinging to me and cried quietly over her loss of trust yet again. How I wished there was something I could do… anything to make this easier. Janet stood behind our chairs as close as she could and comfortingly stroked us both.

 

# And So It Ends…

 

(12-5-99)

 

Two days later, the tribunal was held.

 

Major Samantha Carter stood with the brittle strength of an iceberg and spoke with a hoarse dignity that endeared her to all of us even more. In precise, blunt words, she poured out the details of her affair with Colonel Robert Makepeace that broke a long-standing military regulation. He was a higher-ranking officer, and for a little while there while Jack was gone, her direct superior. It was awful listening to her tell these judgmental strangers things that only a good friend should hear.

 

Not ten feet away stood Bob.

 

He had been stripped of rank and uniform, his tattered dignity all the more pathetic in contrast to Sam's quiet strength. Colonel Maybourne seemed more annoyed than anything else about having his own personal empire pulled down around his ears.

 

One by one, the members of SG1 and SG3 gave brief statements. The poor Marines and Mac still looked betrayed and shell-shocked. No one had known what was going on and there was little to say. 

 

Until Sam had been called forward. 

 

The Generals and politicians on the tribunal council were quite taken aback by her tale. Especially George Hammond. But her honesty saved her being sucked into the nastiness because of her relationship with Bob.

 

All that was left after that was myself and Colonel O'Neill as the internal investigators of the crime. It made my throat ache to answer the questions as I strove to match Sam's frankness. Somehow we all survived it.

 

The sentencing and debriefing were a blur, Sam and I never more than an arm's length apart.

 

++Sam++

 

(12-7-99)

 

I was numb.

 

After that single breakdown in the Infirmary where Art had told me about the investigation, I had been numb. It was the only way I could do this and not completely fall apart. By letting the emotionless Major I so rarely relied on take over, I survived it.

 

Art and Janet and my team had allowed me the space to do what I needed to do to get through this. But my best friends or sweet little Lucky were never more than an arm's length away. Now the painfully public part of this nightmare was over and my agony was threatening to break loose.

 

That first night I had fallen asleep in Art's lap on the couch. The soft, rhythmic stroking of my hair had eventually worn through the numbness and the adrenaline enough to allow me that small peace. Later, their voices had roused me and I felt my dear pal gather my worn out body into her arms. "C'mon Sam," Art had whispered. "There's a perfectly comfy bed nearby."

 

Panic welled up and I clung to her with all of my strength. "Don't leave me," I dimly heard my shattered voice beg. "Please."

 

That was how I had ended up cuddled between their two bodies. It was putting a crimp in their sex life worse than the babies, but their constant presence saved my sanity. I was so tired of being hurt, of caring for men only to have them turn on me. Tired of having my trust violated, my body and soul taken advantage of. Dammit, I had liked Bob! Given more time, I probably could have fallen in love with him. There was a warm and funny man beneath the Marine. Even after working directly with him in command of SG1 so briefly, I would have never believed that he was capable of what he had done.

 

Worse, I sympathized with his reasons for doing it! The conflicting emotions were mirrored in Art's dark eyes, despite her trying to hide them. In certain respects, she had been closer to him than I. For Art had won the coveted position of 'buddy' with Bob. There was a rough playfulness between them that I had never been included in. When we were outside of work, I was strictly 'the girlfriend', and Art was a mutual pal. Oh well, it was redundant now. Feeling the burn of tears yet again, I dug the heels of my hands into my eyes and tried to choke it back. My breathing was harsh in the quiet bathroom while I struggled with my emotions. A long, hot bath had initially done wonders for me, but now I just felt cold and naked. In the mirror, looking back at me, was a woman whose blue eyes were conflicted and wounded. At least I hadn't dropped any of the slight weight I had gained back after completing the particle accelerator and getting O'Neill back. Janet, bless her great, big heart, wouldn't allow it. She was going to make such a great mom, just like she'd done for Cassandra. At night, my feisty healer would hold my head to her shoulder while Art curled along my back. How I adored them for the comfortable intimacy and their unwavering support.


	15. I knew I loved you before I met you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Sam's had some time to reevaluate…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Back to the nasty stuff people. We've got a NC-17 rating. We're goin' where few SG1 writers have gone before…
> 
> Pairings: If I tell ya… it'll ruin the surprise. It involves girls, that's all I'm gonna tell ya.

++Daniel++

 

(12-6-99)

 

"Hey Sarah," I murmured into the phone and run my fingers through my hair. "This is Daniel Jackson. I spoke with you a couple of months ago about Jack. I know you're not home right now and I hate to leave a message like this, but he's okay. He's okay." As I prepared to hang up, there was the clatter of the line being picked up.

 

"Doctor Jackson," Sarah gasped, her voice tense. "Jack's okay?"

 

"Yes, yes he's fine. We thought he was lost, but he showed up. You know Jack, always gotta do things his way. I'm sure he would have called once I told him I'd called you, but we got caught up in… stuff. Y'know?"

 

"I know. Is he home?"

 

"I think so."

 

"I think… I think I need to go speak to him."

 

"Yeah, I really hope he appreciates that."

 

"Thank you."

 

"My pleasure."

 

Jack had been stupid enough to lose the woman he loved through tragedy once before. Maybe this time he'd get it right.

 

++Art++

 

(12-8-99)

 

"I'm sick of this shit."

 

Startled, I dropped the paper and glanced over the back of the couch to see Sam glowering at me. Her eyes were still bloodshot and her posture a little weary, but I was relieved to see the steel of her personality shining through. "Okay. What do you wanna do about it?"

 

"Dunno. Something, anything. Just get me out of this house and away from all this."

 

"No problem, I sure we can find something to do."

 

Famous last words…

 

(12-9-99)

 

If someone had told me that I would end up in a biker dyke bar with a very drunk and happy Sam Carter entertaining the crowd, I would have told them they were nuts. But sure enough, here I was, blearily keeping an eye on the milling crowd and trying to keep my pal from making too big a fool of herself. Unfortunately, I wasn't doing a good job of it. This wasn't a casual stop-by-for-a-beer-after-work kinda place. These people lived a life, at least here, that was a little rough for me. And my delectable little creampuff of a pal was making quite the impression. Perched up on the bar, flirting with anyone within reach, Sam had turned into a kittenish stranger I barely knew. God, what alcohol did to some people. Course, we had been at this for hours, days, I couldn't remember…

 

Then some butch leather dyke from a bad Sixties movie started getting a little too friendly and my protective cop instincts kicked in. This was gonna get ugly.

 

But before I could get a full head of steam, another woman stepped in and grabbed the first one's hand right off Sam's squirming body. "This one's with me," the newcomer growled and I froze in shock. I knew that voice, didn't I? When Pushy tried to make an issue of it, Sam's knight in shining armor and her buddy stared the Sixties reject down. Sam, for her part, just giggled and draped herself over the black leather shoulders.

 

"My hero," she flirted and before the new woman could react, planted a lusty kiss on her. I could only stare as the leather woman froze for a long beat before responding to the invitation. Lanky legs wrapped around the heavy jacket to haul the familiar-voiced stranger up between Sam's legs where she still perched on the bartop. The rough crowd eagerly began to urge them on. Good grief, I didn't know Sam had it in her…

 

When Sam did finally let her new friend up for air, she was flushed and the long red hair was starting to unravel from the black headrag. The crowd roared in approval. To top off the encounter, she fished a twenty dollar bill out and slowly, suggestively, tucked it down the front of Sam's tight skirt. That earned one more lingering kiss and a collective bellow from the crowd that nearly took the roof off. Then the show was over and I heard the new woman speak again. "C'mon, Sam, let's get you home."

 

Sweeping Sam into her arms and earning a squealing laugh, the almost-familiar woman twisted to deposit my best friend into her companion's arms, before pinning me with startling emerald eyes that were ironic, fearful and challenging. I almost swallowed my own tongue. "Karen?" I squeaked like a frightened mouse and earned a chuckle from her blonde friend, who was getting nuzzled and kissed by the giggly Sam.

 

"Call me Bane," Karen Taylor said quietly and I nodded in stupefied obedience. "And this is Leonacouer, the Ace of Diamonds." The grinning blonde Amazon, nearly Karen's impressive height, resettled her grip on the clingy Sam and nodded in welcome at me. "Come sit down while I try to sober Sam up a little. What the hell are you two doing in here anyway?"

 

"I've no idea. This is the drunkest I've been in a long, long time."

 

It was the truth. At this point I couldn't even remember where the damn Jeep was. Heck, I wasn't entirely certain what city we were in anymore. How Sam was even upright, so to speak, was beyond me. With that skinny frame of hers, she should have alcohol poisoning by now. I hadn't realized I'd spoken out loud until Leonacouer chuckled and prodded me in the back to follow Karen. "Don't you know the old cliché about never trusting the quiet ones?" She chuckled in a low voice that reminded me of my sister.

 

"Oh yeah, my wife tells me that all the time."

 

That made 'Bane' chuckle and one of the Ace's eyebrows arch in question. I followed the black leather jacket, trying to make out the design on the heavy garment. It was some kind of ghostly figure of a woman with the words 'Bane Shidhe', written around it. Outside, it was shockingly bright in spite of the heavy clouds and I winced away. Sam whined pathetically and buried her face in the tall blonde's chest. Karen stepped over to retrieve Sam and she burrowed into the larger body like a tired child. "This is becoming a weird habit, Carter," she sighed fondly and gripped Sam's gangly body closer.

 

"I'll take it that you know these two," Leonacouer questioned as she leaned in close to check my undoubtedly dilated and bloodshot eyes. The crystal blue reminded me of Sam's gorgeous gaze. Karen flashed her a dry look and I could almost hear the unspoken 'duh'.

 

"Yeah, I work with 'em over in Colorado Springs. Never expected to run into anyone I knew here."

 

"I know what you mean," I muttered and suddenly wished I was home. This little adventure of Sam's had worn thin.

 

++Janet++

 

(12-10-99)

 

It had been a brutal double shift and I was ready to drop unconscious. There had been a non-ending stream of little accidents around base all week since the ugliness with Maybourne and… It was difficult to think of him as Bob now, but using his last name seemed almost as bad. Dammit! He had been one of my beloved Marines, the big, intimidating men who doted on me when they thought no one was looking. They looked awful, the other Jarheads and Mac, like someone had cut out their hearts. To find out that their leader was the traitor… I shuddered back to myself and was startled by the sting of tears in my eyes. And poor Sam… As though conjured by my thoughts, two figures stepped into the Infirmary, conspicuous in their stony, hurt silence. Sergeant Chris Greer had broken his arm only two days ago and was recovering in one of the private rooms. It wasn't like him to be so accident prone, but the distractions of their leader's treachery had taken its toll. Major Eric Kelly and Captain Mark Barron nodded briefly to me as they headed for their teammate's room. After handing off what she was doing to Betty, Mac followed them like a silent shadow. I despaired ever seeing them smile again. Eric's flirting was missed in particular. And Mark's resemblance to my ex, so heavy with despair, tore at my heart. Thank heavens the last two teams to return through the Stargate had been almost completely unscathed. As wiped out as I was from all the broken emotions around me and the stress of being pregnant, emergencies were rapidly becoming too much from me to handle. It was with weary relief that I had handed control of the Infirmary to Warner and crept away.

 

The house was quiet in the dark hours before dawn. There was a faint hint of something sweet and musky in the air that teased my nostrils. Was that perfume? When I flipped on a lamp, there were two jackets tossed negligently over the back of the couch. Sam's lined leather coat was familiar, but the bulky motorcycle jacket was not. Curiously, I lifted the heavy, thick cowhide and watched the faint light from the front hall. It was obviously well-loved and smelled of warm bodies, alcohol and motor oil. Did that mean that my sweet _ahn-dras_ had finally managed to drag Sam out for some socializing? I fervently hoped so. But where had this jacket come from? And where was Art's heavy denim and wool jacket? Two pairs of shoes were tossed beside the coffee table and various empty bottles and cans decorated the surface. It only took a moment to clean up the mess so that Cassandra didn't get it into her head that she could do the same. That taken care of, I dragged my tired body upstairs. The mystery of the jacket would have to wait.

 

I froze at the titillating spectacle that greeted me. They had fallen asleep together as had become our recent custom, Sam's lanky frame wrapped possessively around Art's sprawled body. A dark hand was woven into the blonde hair, Art's nose tucked into the fluffy mass. Sam was in a skirt and stockings and showed nearly the entire length of slim leg where the left was draped over Art's hips. Rather shocked and utterly enraptured by the sweet and seductive tableau, I could only stare for a long moment. Oh sure, we had all been sleeping in the same bed for days now, but this was different. Sam had tucked her left hand up under the edge of Art's half-unbuttoned shirt and her head was resting on Art's upper chest. My wacky hormones boiled up through my veins and threatened to short circuit my brain.

 

Some small whimper must have escaped me, for Art stirred lightly and moved her head to peer muzzily at me. Her smile warmed my heart and made me forget about my weariness and aches. After only a moment, Sam woke with a small moan and blinked sleepily. Her dawning look of alarm and embarrassment pulled reassuring words from me. "Stay, Sam."

 

Guileless baby blue eyes stared at me as though expecting censure. I suppose I couldn't blame her, after all she was curled up intimately with my spouse. But in very real ways, she needed Art as much as I did and I knew the reverse was true. They had clicked in a deep, totally unexpected way and the bond had only deepened with time. A memory of the alternate versions of the two of them bubbled to the surface, certain body language that had made little sense at the time. Only now I realized that those temporal doubles had once been lovers. The way my dearest friends were curled up made that potential so obvious once I had seen it. Besides, I'd always adored the blonde woman and the mercurial emotions that danced behind her expressive gaze. The slow, sensual grin that curled my mouth widened both pairs of blue eyes.

 

"What a lovely vision you two make," I purred softly and Art's grin widened. She knew that tone and the frisky mood behind it. Sam flushed lightly, but did not pull away her gaze. "All warm and soft and relaxed. This is a wonderful surprise." Art chuckled and Sam spluttered in embarrassment, but didn't fight Art's loose grip very hard. So I sat beside my _ahn-dhras_ and stroked Sam's golden head. "Oh, don't fret, love. This'll make great fantasy material."

 

The combination of embarrassment and heat in her pale eyes made them grow dark as her pupils expanded. Art chuckled and her hand cracked hard down across Sam's backside. The abrupt gesture earned a startled squeal and a quick, rough wrestling match. Lucky had followed me into the bedroom and eyed the two women like they were mad. I laughed at them all, delighted in their entertainment. With Sam in a skirt versus Art's greater mass, the outcome was inevitable and my old pal quickly found herself expertly pinned on her back.

 

"Gotcha Sammy-girl, say Urgo."

 

"Don't make me say that, he might come back," Sam whined playfully and set us all off into giggling like little girls.

 

The combination of embarrassment and heat in her pale eyes made them grow dark as the pupils dilated from the rough play with Art. A sinuous twist of bodies had Sam on top again and the two of them pressed tight to my side where I could see the subtle and thrillingly unexpected plea in Sam's eyes. Gently, ever so gently, I trailed fingertips over her cheekbone and whispered, "Are you ever curious? Even a little? We adore you, you know, and I think we'd like to show you. Yes, _ahgahpee mou_?"

 

" _Mahleesta, oraya ahgahpee mou,_ " Art agreed in an intensely empathetic tone that made Sam raise her head and peer curiously at her pal. "It means 'yes my beautiful love'."

 

With a quick, sinuous twist of their bodies, Art bodily shifted from beneath Sam so that the blonde woman was sprawled loosely between us on her back. For a moment, Art flopped prone to work her strong body into a luxurious cat stretch and groaned with the relief to stiff muscles.

 

"That's the last time I let you sleep on top, Sam," she chuckled and propped her head on one hand. Wedged in between us, Sam could only stare in silent trepidation and fascination. I bent over Sam to press a loving kiss to her forehead before leaning away just far enough to see her warm and tremulous smile.

 

"Please," she whispered and I beamed in delight before giving into a very old curiosity. Oh, I'd always known she was soft, her skin smooth and silky, but I'd had no guesses to the way those delicate facial muscles would feel as her lips moved beneath mine. So different from Art, so passive and willing, her faint taste warmer and sweeter. For a moment I paused with our lips still touching and our noses nestled side by side. The familiar cornflower eyes were fascinating this close up, spokes of all shades of blue making up the end color. Sensing Art's curious gaze, I couldn't resist running my tongue teasingly over Sam's lower lip and tasted her gasp. The already dilated eyes darkened as the blue shrank away from the pupil in response. "Mmm," I purred softly and felt both women shiver in response to the erotic sound. "You taste good, Sam. She's all yours _ahn-dhras_."

 

Knowing I was being a terrible tease, I patted Sam's middle, high on her body and shifted away. For long moments my precious blue-eyes could only stare with stupidly pleased smiles. Art's grin deepened until I could feel my own body buzz in response before she reached out to set her hand where mine had been only moments ago. Sam jumped and made a startled squeak as the pale eyes jerked around. "Shhh… I won't do anything you don't want me to…"

 

Poor Sam never knew what hit her. I watched Art lean over her, still wearing that lovingly indulgent expression, and nuzzle the fair skin. They were such an erotic contrast, light and dark, slim and sturdy, wind and water. It was enormously titillating to watch them perform this way.

 

Slowly, achingly slowly, Art traced the rise and fall of Sam's features with her gentle mouth. Expression intent, eyes closed, Sam lay passive except for one hand tracing idly over the muscles in Art's supporting arm. What was running through their minds? How I longed to know. When Art pressed a kiss to the corner of Sam's mouth, they both suddenly burst into quiet giggles. But the vaguely uncomfortable humor melted into heat when Art nibbled delicately at Sam's upturned lips. Art was an incredible kisser, patient and attentive with enough teasing to leave a girl begging for more. I begged slavishly on a regular basis until she would indulge me with that gentle smile. At first Sam remained unsure and playful as Art memorized the shape and feel of her mouth, but gradually the heat built and she began to squirm under the melting assault. I had never watched Art do this and was enraptured by the spectacle.

 

Soon Sam wove both hands into inky curls and moaned softly. Growing slowly more urgent, she arched her lanky frame into Art and drank in the lazy kisses. I was salivating, heart pounding, as I watched in enraptured silence. I dared not touch either of them, terrified of startling them like wild animals. A slim leg curled around Art's hips and Sam's grip in the dark hair tightened. Art growled softly and Sam moaned in response. When the intricate embrace began to wind down, they traded nipping little kisses until at last their blue eyes met.

 

"Wow," Sam breathed in a shaken voice.

 

That soft comment made me smile as they looked over. Giddy passion had made Sam's eyes ocean dark and Art's had lightened to the color of shallow water. The fondness and smoldering ardor they radiated made me anxiously squirm closer.

 

"Welcome home, _ahgahpee mou_ ," Art purred in that intensely low tone that drove me wild. A desperate whimper bubbled up from my throat, for I was already painfully aroused. We met over the silently watching Sam and I lost myself utterly in my beloved's tender kiss. Once I came up for air, I stroked a teasing finger down her cheek and purred, "so, what did you two do last night?"

 

The reaction wasn't what I had expected as Art rolled onto her back and howled with laughter until I thought she would split in two. Sam just looked embarrassed and confused. "Pick an incident," Art finally managed to choke out.

 

"It couldn't have been that bad," Sam muttered in embarrassment and Art laughed again. Propping herself on an elbow, Art gestured at Sam, still sprawled between us.

 

"Sam hon… that's not your shirt."

 

"What?"

 

Blue eyes dropped to stare uncomprehendingly at the fabric wrapped around her torso. I had to admit that I had been a bit taken aback by the choice in attire. It was a silky leopard print camisole trimmed in black lace that had removed itself from one shoulder. The lacing down the front was mostly loose, showing wide swaths of pale skin and subtle curves. Definitely not something I would have pictured Sam Carter in.

 

"This… this isn't my shirt," Sam said in an idiotic tone. Once more Art laughed and I felt obliged to soothe Sam.

 

"It looks good on you, sweetie."

 

She blinked like a confused owl and smiled like she wasn't aware she had done it.

 

"She can afford more," Art chuckled and earned stereo confusion. "Check your pants, so to speak. There's at least twenty bucks in there. The nice leather dykes whose tonsils you were checking out last night gave you a hefty tip for the perk. But, hell, it got us a ride home."

 

The look on Sam's face even made me chuckle, especially when she gingerly reached under the front of her skirt to come up with a handful of squashed bills. "What did you let me do?" Sam accused in a mocking tone and Art laughed all the harder. With a playful growl, Sam pounced on her and I moved further away on the bed, alarmed by the proximity of their physicality. Oh, but what an incredible thrill it was to watch their strong, healthy bodies writhe together on the linens as they tried to best one another. It took some work, but Art's larger mass and MP experience won. Sam lay panting on the bed and glared up at her captor with a grin. "Now that you've got me…" Sam purred and my own hormones spiked up dramatically at the suggestiveness in the tone. But Art just grinned and gave her a quick peck before pinning me with a hot glance.

 

"I'm asking if you'll help me keep the lady of the house warm."

 

"Oh," Sam responded in a matter-of-fact, almost disappointed voice. "I can do that."

 

Catching the faint tone, Art ducked down to kiss Sam hard, leaving her mark on the pale lips. This was a possessive, searching kiss, the kind that made me late for duty on occasion. Whimpering softly, Sam willingly allowed herself to be dominated, obviously aroused by the almost rough treatment. Finally, Art tore herself away to bury her face in Sam's neck and groped blindly for my hand. "Wow," she breathed softly and squeezed my fingers hard. Sam wrapped arms and legs around her to squeeze until Art groaned in protest. "Okay Sparky, I get the point. No more teasing the lions. Think you can still get any sleep?" The growling, teasing note on the last question earned a quick nip on the bottom lip before those lanky limbs finally unwound.

 

"Can you?" Sam purred and yelped when Art swatted her hip before rolling away to pounce lightly on me. I capitulated with a delighted giggle and let her cover my face with butterfly kisses.

 

"Care for a big dog pile of a hug to sleep in the middle of, my love? Shower first, or grapes fed to you by hand? Your wish is my command." While Art's tone was lightly mocking, I knew that she would happily indulge any whim she could. Then a gigantic yawn suffused any sensation for a long moment and left me with watering eyes. "Sleep it is," Art said softly. "But teeth and jammies first."

 

"Yes ma'am," I chuckled lightly and allowed myself to be pulled into a sitting position and shooed off to the bathroom. When I returned, scrubbed and in comfy pajamas, only Sam was sprawled on the bed in her familiar blue tank top and striped pants. Art was probably off checking on the dogs, as was her custom. "So," I said lightly and the blue eyes followed me carefully as I lay down beside her. "Some night, huh?"

 

"Thank you," Sam whispered thickly and I looked over to see her beloved eyes heavy with tears. With a loving smile, she was curled along my side, blonde hair tucked under my chin. Entering quietly, Art snuggled into my other side and draped an arm over Sam's waist.

 

"For what?" I asked in my gentlest voice and Sam clung tightly to us.

 

"For not abandoning me," she sobbed so softly that I could barely hear.

 

"Not gonna happen Sam. We adore you and plan on proving it for the rest of your natural life. That's a promise."

 

We slept to the catharsis of tears and love.

 

++Sam++

 

(12-12-99)

 

Two days.

 

That's it.

 

Two days since my life had changed so drastically. Two days since my best friends, the likes of which I had honestly never had before, had kissed my very willing self senseless. For two days I had been far too aware of myself… and of them.

 

Oh, on the surface nothing had changed. Art still verbally harassed O'Neill and asked Daniel questions and spoke so kindly to Lucky. Janet still ran her corner of the SGC with effortless competence and kept everyone in line with that sharp wit. But there was a subtle change in awareness and the way their eyes would rest on me. There had been no casual silliness between us and the technical hiccup still staring defiantly out at me through my computer screen should have been long dead.

 

Was I projecting my wounded feelings onto Art and Janet? No, I honestly didn't believe that. For so long I had adored the two of them that the kisses seemed merely an extension of that bond.

 

Could I have been missing something all this time then? Some vital part of myself that had remained hidden? A sensation pushed against my psyche so powerfully that even Jolinar's scattered memories faded away. It was a sensation like facing a closed door, knowing that something painful but absolutely necessary lay on the other side. For an endless moment I swear I could almost hear my mother's sweet voice.

 

"Trust them Samantha. They love you."

 

"Sam?"

 

Art's voice was so unexpected that I very nearly fell off my stool. Concerned, she strode over to regard me curiously.

 

"You okay? You looked about a million miles away there for a second."

 

As my brain struggled to right itself from all of these emotional and psychological entanglements, she stepped into my personal space. My knees touched her thighs and felt the contained warmth of her. Those deep eyes, like a calm arctic ocean, were full of love and quiet concern. Uncaring of the possibility of someone walking in, I wrapped my arms around her waist and she instantly returned the embrace. There were gentle fingers petting my hair as Bob had done in the past and I shuddered away from those memories. I would not push her away because others had hurt me. I would not alienate the people who cared about me because of another's treachery.

 

"Come home," Art whispered softly and I clung tighter. "We miss you. Me, Cass, Cooper, Janet, Lucky, Jaffa. Heck, even Starjumper looks a little morose. _Feelee mou_ , my friend, we need you. Come home."

 

Home. When was the last time I had felt truly at home anywhere but this gigantic concrete bunker deep in the earth?

 

In the end, I meekly handed over my keys and followed her out of the SGC. There had been a few, last-minute details, but Darya had taken one look at me and immediately agreed with Art's suggestion that I hadn't fully recovered yet. Now we drove through the evening darkness with only the radio playing softly and Lucky's small noises accompanying the noise of the Jeep.

 

++Art++

 

When she dozed off, I was pleased and worried. She looked so tired, so lost. How much could one person take and not go insane? Jonas, Jolinar, Bob and God only knew who else had scarred her. And all of it traced back to her father. Oh, I knew they were okay now, but she still had some serious emotional scars. I liked Jacob, but could see where the rift had been between them for so long. It made the ache for my own family all the more acute. Her fragile trust both made me feel like the most important person in the universe and terrified me beyond words. I was so scared I would screw this up. And I would rather put a bullet in my head than cause those big blue eyes to cloud up with hurt again. Had Janet done the right thing, encouraging us to deepen the relationship? My gaze flickered over briefly to see that moonlight had bathed my friend's sleeping face. Did she know how beautiful she was? It seemed like an eternity ago that my tortured temporal double had asked me that loaded question.

 

" _Teen ahgapahs?_ "

 

Do you love her?

 

Even then, my heart knew that Sam Carter was a very vital piece of the person I was to become. The person I was today and would hopefully improve upon. She and Janet and Cassie and my dogs were irrevocably intertwined with… me. With the person that loved them so dearly. It was they who had given me the strength to rise above all that could destroy me. And, wonder of wonders, it seems that I could do the same for them.

 

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize I was home until I actually pulled into the driveway. After unclipping Lucky's halter from the seatbelt, I fondly scratched her head. "Stay," I whispered and quietly climbed out of the Jeep. Before Sam could even subconsciously register my absence, I was at her door and her limp body flowed into my embrace. "I've got you, _feelee mou._ Come Lucky."

 

It wasn't easy to open the door with Sam's gangly body draped all over me, but I managed. There were voices murmuring in the kitchen and Cooper was there to greet us. "Hi Cooper," I whispered and his concerned whine was eloquent as he gently nosed Sam's hip. "She'll be okay," I reassured him in my best 'trust-me' voice. My Shepherds touched noses and I grinned. They had gotten along fine from the start and I hoped there would be puppies soon.

 

"He-ey," Janet said softly and I looked away from the dogs to see her smiling beatifically at me in the faint glow of the scattered Christmas lights. "You brought Sam home. Good. How is she?"

 

"Still worn out. How are you _ahgahpee mou_?"

 

Smiling from her pet name, Janet stepped over to be kissed. Between the twins and Sam, it wasn't easy to maneuver, but we managed. As always, she was sweet and warm and loving, both hands caressing my face while we said hello. Even now I could effortlessly lose myself in her, forgetting the weight in my arms and the awkward position I was standing in. Finally, she leaned away to smile at me. "I'm okay, but I'm better now that you're home." Those velvet eyes flickered over to where I knew Sam must be awake and her loving smile deepened. "Both of you."

 

Janet leaned in to lingeringly kiss Sam as well. One that had the blonde woman's cheeks flushed when she was released. Patting us both fondly, Janet moved back into the house, impossibly bouncy for a 5'2 pixie seven months pregnant with twins. I sighed with slavish canine devotion and looked wryly down at Sam. There was a brief glimpse of those wide eyes before I was grabbed in a suffocating hug. "What did I do to deserve the two of you?"

 

"Mmm, I wonder the same thing day after day. Are you hungry?"

 

"Mmm hmm."

 

Taking that as a yes, I headed for the kitchen where Cassandra lit up with delight then darkened with worry. "Sam?" My loving grin reassured the teen as I sat in my chair with Sam's body still curled up against me. Just as her trust was a fragile thing, so too was this child-like vulnerability. Easily reading Sam's conflict of how she should react, Cassandra came over to bestow a warm hug. "I'm glad you're home. It's not the same around here without you."

 

That earned a watery smile and Sam twisted in my lap to hug the girl. A rush went through me at the changing textures of her body pressing into mine and I responded in a deep, visceral way. There was a hot glance fired at me from the corner of her eye as Sam left me to sit with Cassandra. There was a knowing smirk tilting Janet's delectable mouth as she served up bowls of thick stew. Her intuition of cooking the much-needed comfort food amazed and delighted me. We all needed it. Over dinner Cassandra managed to coax Sam into being her usual self. It covered up the simmering subtext between we adults nicely. When the phone rang, I waved Janet to stay put and went for it. "Hello."

 

"Goldston?"

 

I really wasn't surprised to hear O'Neill on the other end. After the 'retirement' incident, the rest of the team had been a little weird around him. "Yes sir, what can I do for you?"

 

"I… um… just wanted to check on Carter. She doin' okay?"

 

Poor guy, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Hopelessly in love with his 2IC and not a damn thing he could do about it. Oh, he'd never admit it, but between my conversation with Sam so long ago and watching him around her, I could tell. "Better. Cassandra's in the process of cheering her up now. I'll make sure she gets some sleep tonight even if I have to park myself next to the bed."

 

"Great. Thanks Sarge."

 

"For what sir?"

 

"Just… thanks."

 

"My pleasure. We'll see you in a couple of days."

 

"Right. Goodnight then."

 

"Goodnight sir. Thanks for calling."

 

++Sam++

 

We spent a quiet evening together with the animals and watched the first wave of Christmas specials on TV. It was hard to tell who sang more lustily along with the songs, Cassandra or Art. Damn, but that Greek had a fantastic voice. Janet lay sprawled on the couch with her head in Art's lap while Cassandra did the same with me on the floor. Little Jaffa alternately dozed and clambered over Janet's relaxed body. Cooper lay curled against my hip, Lucky my lower legs and Starjumper against Cassie's tummy.

 

It was cozy and soothing to be surrounded by them with this easy quiet between us. The reassuring normalcy calmed my frayed emotions and lulled me with its security.

 

Something prodding me softly in the ear woke me some interminable time later. It took a moment for my foggy brain to register where I was. My head had lolled back to be cradled by the warm swell of the twins. A second prod, this time against my cheekbone, earned a reassuring mumble from Janet. Only then did I realize what the movement was. One of the twins had kicked me! Delighted, I twisted to press my hand and cheek to Janet's swollen body.

 

"Are they moving?" Cassandra asked quietly.

 

"They did a moment ago," I responded and froze when I felt it. There, right under my fingers! A tiny flutter of movement, a restless push from inside. Awed by the sensation, I remained as I was and waited. And finally, I was rewarded again with those fidgety movements.

 

A low groan rumbled up from Janet's chest and her hand came to rest near my forehead. "Uhnn… the little athletes are bouncy tonight."

 

Her discomfort made me respond without thinking, snaking an arm around the bulge and soothingly stroking my cheek against her warmth. "Shhh," I murmured softly. "You're gonna give your mom a tummyache."

 

And much to my astonishment, they did indeed settle into stillness. Both parents chuckled when I pulled back only far enough to stare.

 

"They can hear you," Art explained gently. "And they know you. They know the sound of your voice and your touch. They've known you from the start. Just wait, when they're born they'll bond to you like they were your own."

 

My throat closed up so tight I thought I would choke and my eyes blurred with tears. "Okay gang, time for bed," Janet suddenly announced briskly and patted my head. "Would you give me a hand, Sam?" That left Art to collect a mockingly grumbling Cassandra, scoop up Jaffa and herd the dogs off to bed. Janet carefully navigated the stairs with me playing spotter and flopped onto the bed. "I really only come up here to sleep anymore, they're getting so unwieldy. And still two months to go…"

 

There was little annoyance in Janet's tone. Instead she sounded resigned and loving. Smiling, I pulled off her shoes to rub her feet.

 

"Mmm… that's nice Sam," Janet purred softly and my warm grin deepened. I didn't know what I was feeling exactly. This woman had been my friend and confidante for years. Love and pregnancy had brought out a wonderful sparkle in her personality that was impossible to resist. Utterly lost in thought, strong arms grabbing me from behind made me jump in shock.

 

Jerking around almost defensively, I was hauled up against Art's chest and froze instinctively in response. This was a look I hadn't seen before… a raw, predatory stare that felt like a physical touch. Instinctively, I relaxed trustingly into her embrace and a smile touched her mouth. A memory of our first meeting bubbled up and I ducked my head to rub my short hair under Art's chin.

 

++Art++

 

It was the most amazing sensation to have this powerful, frighteningly intelligent woman putty in my hands. Since Sam had removed her boots earlier, we were nearly face-to-face for once. When I ducked in to capture her mouth, I was met halfway. She tasted as good as I remembered as we kissed experimentally. Slender arms twined around my neck and her lips parted eagerly beneath my rapidly heating kisses. There was something very different about being with this willowy blonde, the way she was so pliable and willing. Oh, Janet could be like that, but it wasn't as inherent to her personality. There was no resistance as I grabbed that narrow ass and ground Sam up against me. In fact, she groaned wantonly and cupped my skull in her hands. Eventually, our gazes met again, our tight embrace making it difficult to tell when one left off and the other began. Janet sighed dreamily and we both glanced over.

 

"You two are so sexy," she sighed with a devilish grin. "Such a beautiful contrast to the other. Lucky me." That made me chuckle and release Sam.

 

"You. Bed. Now," I growled and she smiled flirtatiously. The sight of that tight ass snug up against the fatigues compelled me to give Sam a quick swat. She yelped in surprise and collapsed into an ungainly heap beside the laughing Janet. The mocking glare only made her laugh harder. It wasn't easy to watch them and struggle with my heavy boots, but I was determined to miss nothing. Janet settled into a quiet chuckle and gave the pouting Sam a sympathetic look. Weaving her fingers into the tousled blonde hair, Janet tugged Sam into a kiss. They were slow and lazy, like kittens in the sun, both teasing and giggling. For the moment, I was content to watch their playful interactions and feel my own arousal heating my blood. It wasn't until Sam began to stir restlessly that I climbed onto the bed and molded myself to her narrow back. A muffled moan echoed up from her chest as I sank my teeth lightly into the tendons of her neck, my hands restlessly mapping her body. An impatient series of tremors echoed through Sam, pressing her tighter to Janet and forcing me to scoot in closer. As I tightened the grip my teeth had on her, those movements became more desperate and uncoordinated.

 

"You like that?" Janet purred and we both groaned in response. That tone of voice drove me insane with black velvet promise and Janet very well knew it. "Hmm?" She hummed encouragingly and Sam whined softly like a trapped animal. As I touched my willowy friend, my fingers would encounter Janet's own curious hands. Lingering caresses were traded as we teased Sam to distraction. Those sensitive doctor's hands tugged the black undershirt from Sam's pants and mine ducked inside to explore the flat belly while Janet's wandered higher. I removed one hand from the play to prop myself up and lean over Sam. Her unfocused gaze met mine and I ducked to kiss her until both of us were lost in the heat of the interaction. We separated only long enough to skin off shirt and bra and I swallowed Sam's soft noises as Janet explored the newly exposed skin. There was a desperate edge to Sam's sounds even as she clung tightly to my curls. A gentle touch on Janet's head slowed her down and gave Sam time to adapt to us.

 

One nipple pebbled up hard under my fingers while Janet suckled at the other. While no longer kissing me, Sam breathed hard against my mouth and I relished her small noises that grew slowly in intensity. "Sam," I breathed almost soundlessly and those beautiful eyes fluttered open. "We're here, _ehromenee,_ lover. We'll always be here, trust us, let us love you. We'll take good care of you, I promise…"

 

The soft cadence of words grounded Sam, made her focus on us to the exclusion of all else. While Janet stroked and suckled her breasts, I wandered my hand across her silky skin and tapped lightly at the flat muscles quivering beneath. Her slim lankiness was new to me, for I had never touched someone built like her before. And this was my dear, beloved Sam, my friend and confidante and source of strength. How desperately I wanted to erase that lingering hurt in her expressive eyes, to sweep away the damage that others had done. Gently and deliberately, I tugged at the regulation belt until it separated and teased away each button on the fatigue pants. As her eyes grew more unfocused and her wordless pleas more desperate, I smoothed my hand over the familiar rough cloth to map the shape of her thighs and hips and abdomen. Only after her pelvis began to rock in response did I go further. Janet helped me tug away the pants and the plain underwear beneath. Some perverse part of my brain knew I would never look at our green duty uniforms quite the same way again as we exposed Sam's body to our explorations. Again I stroked her skin, feeling muscle and bone shifting anxiously under my touch.

 

"Please," Sam managed to gasp only just coherently enough to be understood, her clutching grip almost painful in its intensity. So I traced my fingers along the baby-soft skin of her inner thighs… only to cup my hand over her groin and enjoy the heat and the feel of her soft hair against my palm.

 

"Sam," I spoke firmly to break through to her. Moaning, she begged eloquently with her body and the animal sounds her need dragged from her. "Come back to me, please. I need you to know that it's me and Janet. Please Sam, please."

 

It took long moments for her upper brain to come back on line enough to focus on us as Janet shifted to lie against her side and wander a lazy hand over her torso. Pinned between us, her hormones raging, my hand so close to her deepest heat, Sam whimpered softly and reached up to trace my features with a shaking hand. After an intense moment under that feral blue stare, her attention shifted over to Janet. "He-ey," Janet crooned and I began to stroke ever so gently with a patient hand. Almost shyly, the wet folds parted before hugging my fingers close. Sam's cries grew in volume and she pressed random kisses to our faces. She was beautiful, wanton and willing under our hands. As my touch grew firmer, knowing that Sam needed completion now and I could explore more later, Janet's fingers intertwined with mine.

 

That was all it took.

 

As Sam's cries grew in intensity, I clamped my free hand over her mouth to stifle the crescendo building within her. The orgasm wracked her frame and her grip tightened convulsively on us. Even with my muffling hand, the scream was amazing. Outside the bedroom door, Lucky began to whine and bark in concern as Sam ran out of breath and I removed my hand.

 

"I better go check on Lucky and Cassandra," I murmured and gave them both a quick kiss before scrambling from the bed.

 

++Sam++

 

Gradually, my brain began to come back on line. I was perversely reminded of a computer booting up as various thought processes and memory files cleared up. Tremors echoed through me in memory of the loving that Art and Janet had given me. That thought made my eyes snap open to be greeted by the achingly familiar brown eyes. How many times had I done just that? Opened my eyes after some significant or traumatic event to find Janet standing over me with that warm, loving gaze.

 

"Welcome home," Janet said quietly and I caught her in a tight hug that made her chuckle fondly. "Art'll be back in a moment. She wanted to be sure you hadn't woken up the entire household. Oh, don't look so embarrassed, your enthusiasm is wonderful. I would've never guessed that you were a screamer."

 

Janet continued to murmur soothingly as my body and emotions calmed slowly. There was a sensation against at the edges of my consciousness, a subtle need to find out what was behind that door. While I lay quietly surrounded by Janet's warmth, I felt it once more…

 

Could I have been missing something all this time then? Some vital part of myself that had remained hidden? A sensation pushed against my psyche so powerfully that even Jolinar's scattered memories faded away. It was a sensation like facing a closed door, knowing that something painful but absolutely necessary lay on the other side. For an endless moment I swear I could almost hear my mother's sweet voice.

 

"Trust them Samantha. They love you."

 

It was so close, the memories that needed to badly to be lanced like a long-infected wound. There was only Janet's warm eyes as my mind drifted back and I reached for that closed door…

 

In the agony of losing my mother, I had lost track of myself for awhile. That pain I remembered all to clearly to this day. Then there was another voice, a long-lost memory that I stared at in fascination. Looking up into a pair of warm, dark blue eyes. "Hi," the girl had said in a soft southern accent. "I remember you from math class. You're the smart one the boys always tease." I had flushed in embarrassed mortification and was shocked when she reached out to cover my trembling hand with her own. "I'll make you a deal, okay? You help me pass algebra and I'll make sure those boys stay off your case. Agreed?" And Ainsley had always been true to her word. Imagine me, the geeky Air Force brat with the aching eyes and the painfully self-conscious nature suddenly being a popular cheerleader's new project. For awhile there, that's what it had felt like as the squad clucked over me like a new puppy. But I was in such desperate need of attention, any kind of attention, that I reveled in the mild humiliation of it. My father and brother were incapable of alleviating my pain and at least the girls let me forget for brief moments. I remembered the first time Ains made some casual remark about bringing my mother in on something and I fell apart in her lap. And, much to my surprise, my beautiful, popular, smart, seemingly shallow new pal just held me and let me cry. After that we were inseparable and did everything together. The other cheerleaders laughed that if I hadn't been so clumsy, they would have drafted me into the squad. Then my wanderings through these long-buried recollections were diverted by a pain left unacknowledged for far too long.

 

It was like approaching your childhood closet, knowing, just knowing that there was some horrible monster waiting to jump out and do something ghastly. Yet the door must still be opened. They had given me the strength to confront this, these wonderful women who truly made me believe that they loved me unconditionally. I was dimly aware of Janet's rising alarm as I retreated further into my own mind, the real world far, far behind me. 

 

And then suddenly… I was there.

 

Every nuance, every emotion, every sensation frozen in the cold, hard lump of my pain and denial, suddenly shattered loose to wash over me with the force of a flash flood.

 

Seventeen years old only weeks before, my best friend and I lay side by side on her sloped roof, finding patterns old and new in the stars. We talked and giggled about everything and nothing, only truly aware of the chemistry between us. I wanted to visit those stars someday and Ainsley wanted to change the world. I always teased her about being president someday and she always laughed and mocked that she'd probably be some underpaid lackey. 

 

Lost in the camaraderie I craved from her, I bumped up friendly kitty-like against her side and left us touching at elbow… shoulder… temple. Her knuckles pressed against mine, and I shuddered from the visceral thrill that shot through me when she intertwined our fingers.

 

"Do you wonder what it's like?" Ainsley's voice asked softly across the years.

 

"What?" I responded breathlessly, quivering in awareness beneath her touch. 

 

"To be kissed? Made love to?"

 

Her boldness drove me wild, drew me to her warmth like gravity.

 

"Yes," I whispered in a glass-sharp voice, my heart in my throat and my feelings on my sleeve.

 

I remembered her shadowed eyes when she turned her head, our noses touching. An eternity passed while we lay there sharing the air between us, that tiny space that separated us like the mighty Grand Canyon. Unable to stand the anticipation for one second longer, I whispered again, uncharacteristically bold.

 

"Please…"

 

We met halfway, the touch of our lips soft and curious and tender. Slowly the caresses deepened, her tongue across my bottom lip forever branding my young self. Madness overtook me, the need for her to touch me was so strong. Her soft, curvy weight pressing me into the futon mattress, her fingers roving over my body through the thin summer clothing. That maddening touch, cool and soft, against my bare skin had unraveled me. I remembered her caresses being so certain, like she knew exactly what to do to me. My voice grew hoarse and broken, her lips at my meager chest, her thigh against the sudden burn only she could snuff out. Then her fingers were where I needed them so badly, tickling carefully inside, and her thumb against that magic spot that shattered me apart into total bliss.

 

For an eternity I stood there among the broken pieces of my soul and stared at that flawless moment of perfection. This is what I had lost when Ainsley and I had been so cruelly torn apart by my father's duty and by the bond we could never truly acknowledge. Fear of the world around us had made that first love and I run from that agonizing pain and bliss.

 

That year I had lost my mother, lost my first love, lost my innocence and a huge part of myself. For sixteen years I had hidden from this, harming myself further in my self-imposed ignorance. Only then did I weep for the girl I had been and the woman I had become as I sifted through the reawakened pieces of me.

 

**And love will bring you home again.**

 

Physical sensation eventually returned. Perhaps I had slept. Perhaps I was merely numb from my long, draining emotional journey. There was the firm press of the twins against my gut, smooth legs intertwined with my own. Gentle fingers were woven into my hair to caress my scalp, a warm body cradling me from behind. Butterfly kisses roved over my forehead and nose, another mouth nuzzled the fine hairs at my nape.

 

"Janet?" I whispered brokenly and felt the seemingly endless flow of tears wear deeper tracks into my skin. 

 

"We're here love," my healer soothed in that voice that had coaxed me from darkness so many times.

 

"Art?"

 

"We're here," Art affirmed softly, her deep voice rumbling against the back of my skull.

 

An eternity passed as they stroked and soothed me until I succumbed to a healing sleep.

 

A rough-soft rasp on my cheek coaxed me from a deep, black slumber. Jaffa's gold eyes regarded me calmly when I opened my own and she returned to cleaning my salty face. Her purring soothed me, brought on a fresh round of the endless tears. It took a moment to realize that the warm body at my back was furry and when I stirred, Cooper instantly had his head propped on my shoulder. Together, the two of them calmed me with their animal kisses. With my legs still intertwined with the sleeping Janet, I shifted my upper body to pat and scratch my furry friends.

 

In the warm light of morning, I felt as though a great, dark weight had been lifted off of my soul. Confronting the festering pain had robbed it of much of its power and this safe place of love and acceptance had encouraged me to do it.

 

"Sam?" Janet suddenly queried ever so gently and I smiled at her softly. Relief was strong in her sleepy eyes and she reached out to cup my cheek in her hand. "You're okay." It was as much a question as a statement.

 

"I will be."


	16. Velvet Short and Curlies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confessions lead to fantasies that lead to a serious act of trust…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Back to the nasty stuff people. We've got a NC-17 rating. We're goin' where few SG1 writers have gone before…
> 
> Pairings: Janet, Art and Sam.

++Art++

 

(12-14-99)

 

Groaning softly, I let the weight of my lovers ground the aftershocks rattling through me. Even after only a few days, I felt more and more blessed by Sam's new role in our lives. The woman was tireless, adventuresome and always eager to please. She was also proving endlessly patient with my erratic arousal cycles and was always figuring out new tricks to get me started. The constant stimulation seemed to be retraining my nerves, but I still heated up at a snail's pace compared to my women. Sam sighed softly as she curled along my side to rest her tousled head on my shoulder. Janet sprawled against my other side, only barely awake. She had left my body's needs in Sam's capable hands this night, content with watching my expressions and teasing me farther along. There were things to be said for teamwork…

 

Our family had experienced a wonderful evening of good food and bonding over games of tossing the football and scrabble. Once Cassandra and the dogs had been sent off to bed, the bonding had continued in the master bedroom. Now I was delightfully drowsy, but found myself unable to sleep quite yet as scattered memories paraded across my mind's eye.

 

As though sensing my wandering thoughts, Janet suddenly squirmed around to drape herself along my unoccupied side. After playfully ruffling Sam's hair, she propped herself onto an elbow and grinned softly at me. "What are thinking _kardolah-mou?_ "

 

Lulled from my reminiscing, I kissed her nose and stretched luxuriously. "Just remembering some things."

 

"Like what? You had this enticing little grin on your face. Some exotic ex-lover perhaps?"

 

Astute, this one was, but I already knew that. I let the feral amusement color my eyes and saw the answering gleam in her luxurious dark gaze. "Yes actually. Good guess."

 

"Really?"

 

"Mmm hmmm. I've only got two exes, so I'm surprised I haven't talked about them before." 

 

"Only a little," Janet mused and I kissed her again, more thoroughly this time. We were both still aware how jealous I had been over Darya and her past with my wife. They were only friends now, had been lovers only briefly, many years ago. Thankfully, my covetous Greek nature seemed to have dulled with time, but we were quite aware that it would never go away completely. Because of that, we had always been a bit hesitant to talk freely about our past partners. That made me realize I knew virtually nothing about the man that Janet had married so briefly and I made a mental note to make the time to let her talk about that.

 

"Why was she exotic?" Sam asked softly, either oblivious to the tension or subtly trying to avert it. I didn't care which, I was glad for the distraction and the warm encouragement and curiosity in my wife's eyes.

 

"About six months after being paired off with Cooper, I was stationed out in the Philippines for long-term guard duty at a base there. It sucked. Long days and nights in a hot uniform in one of the most gorgeous places on earth and there was nothing for me to do. Eventually, I made friends with a few of the guys there, and of course they indulged in the usual tradition of trying to get me drunk. So I get dragged to this sleazy-looking place one night, the boys are already toasted and I'm barely buzzed. Imagine my surprise when I realize that it's actually a pretty classy strip club on the inside. After a few weak protestations that they were gonna get me in trouble, we were at the bar to indulge. I caught flashes of a few of the dancers, but nothing made me stare." I paused dramatically to catch both of their curious gazes. "Until Velvet," I rumbled in my lowest, sexiest, most mysterious register. Their delighted grins warmed my heart.

 

"Velvet?" Janet queried softly and resettled her body against me. Sam shifted fully onto her elbows and gave Janet a shoulder to lean her head against. They were truly adorable and I felt tears of appreciation prick at my eyes. Quick kisses deepened their obvious delight.

 

"I adore you two," was my soft comment before my tone regained its normal tone and I continued. "She was about my height and built like some kind of earthy sex goddess. She was dressed like one too, some illicit vision that too many days lost in the local jungles might inspire. It was like watching a panther stalk prey, the way she moved. She was so hypnotizing that the guys didn't even notice that I was just as caught up as they were." A single finger was lightly brushing against the top of my body scar like a feather's caress. It was a slow, subtle pleasure and I had high hopes that they could get the rare second round of lovemaking out of my reluctant body. "So there's this heavy quiet over the crowd, only the pounding beat of some techno-tribal rhythms while she torments the crowd. There was no mistaking when she noticed me, I felt like I had touched a live wire. Next thing I know, I have this sultry local writhing on my lap like she's trying to get me to come right there on the spot. I couldn't move, I just stared. And then she was gone and it was like waking up from some weird dream. I must have made some remark about 'no more drinking binges with you guys', because my pals just laughed and laughed at my embarrassment." 

 

"That's it?" Sam asked skeptically and I curled a hand into her hair for a lingering kiss.

 

"No silly, there's more. So days later, I wander into the bar alone and someone grabs my sleeve. It's some burly local, who gestures towards an almost hidden door and rambles off something I can't understand. I hadn't been able to pick up as much Tagalog as I had expected to at that point. It's a tough language group. He's pretty adamant and I've had too much to drink and I actually do something stupid and walk through the door. Honestly, I never knew what hit me, the night was a haze. All I know is that my buddies found me sprawled out asleep on the beach with my uniform sloppily rearranged on me. What I did remember, was her, the dancer. So I managed to sneak away one night and went to that door again. She was even more fun cold sober. The woman was a tigress and everything an exotic lover should be, tireless, sexy and could improvise like crazy. She also spoke about twelve words of English. So our first couple of weeks didn't consist of much talking." I was shocked to realize that I was flushed in embarrassment and arousal. My women were absolutely delighted. There were now multiple teasing fingers on my scar and tracing circles around my hardened nipples.

 

"Why Artemis," Janet purred playfully. "I do believe that you're embarrassed." 

 

"Mmm," I hummed distractedly from their attentions. "Among other things… oh yeah, Sam… right there."

 

I knew the tickle of her baby-fine hair and the press of her aristocratic nose compared to Janet's cute little muzzle. Her lean cheeks twitched into a smile against my skin and her light suckling grew firmer in intent. Softly, she mouthed my puckered flesh and rasped sharp teeth ever-so-lightly against my skin. It was pure heaven when Janet ducked down to nibble a trail from chin to chest, alternating her suction from bruising to feather-soft. It was quite the shock that I spiraled up that incline of pure arousal until it escaped me in sharp, grunting cries.

 

" _Theh-mou_ ," escaped me in a shuddering sigh and I wove my fingers into their hair. Sam remained sprawled across my lower body, her cheek on my abdomen, while Janet kissed me softly.

 

"That was a wonderful story, Art. Thank you. And if talking gets you this hot and bothered, we'll have to try it again."

 

"Definitely."

 

++Sam++

 

Holy Hannah, but this woman made me insane. That last story was enough to set my whole body aflame and I trembled against Art's leg. I heard their kiss break and Art continued talking in that low, sexy tone. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the scenes she was describing. "Velvet was a bit of a danger junkie and got a kick out of the clandestine relationship with me. I was too intrigued to stay away. On the physical level, her coloring fascinated me because it was so similar and so different from mine. And her voluptuous dancer's build was cool too. She was totally unlike anything I'd been close too, ever."

 

"There's more," I heard Janet tease lightly and Art's chuckle rumbled where my cheek was pressed to her body. One hand suddenly curled into my hair and I relaxed at the loving caress on my scalp. I still felt odd with them, like I should be out of place, a third wheel. One of them would see some dead giveaway to my feelings and reassure me until my heart swelled with adoration.

 

"Oh, I'm sure if I wracked my brain, I could come up with all sorts of kinky memories," Art laughed and convulsed suddenly beneath me, her merriment increasing. "No pinching you tease, I'll spill. Let's see…. Hmm…" I could picture Janet's petulant pout and smiled against Art's skin. The hand in my hair paused for a moment before caressing with some unknown intent. "Ah, I've got it. One of the things I only dimly remembered from that first night, but learned very well, was that Velvet was shaved clean. It was quite amazing."

 

"Shaved?"

 

"Yep. And let me tell you, that stubble would threaten to split anything soft that got anywhere near it. So a couple of weeks after she first jumped me, I come sneaking into her quarters as is my custom. Imagine my surprise to find her sprawled out on the bed beside this amazing antique shaving kit. My guess is that she noticed that the stubble bothered me so I was immediately drafted into helping with maintenance. So, still barely able to communicate past the basics, she hands me this brutally sharp straight razor and teaches me how to do it right. It was the most amazing and erotic gesture of trust… Nose practically buried in her crotch with this deadly razor scraping all that sensitive skin clean. I thought about doing it myself, but knew I'd never get away with it while in uniform."

 

Absolutely still with concentration, I hung on every word. "So next time someone needs surgery," Janet teased. "I should call you?" Together, they chuckled and I began to tremble. I could almost feel the tug of that lethal blade over my skin, removing the fine hairs between my legs, leaving me truly and utterly naked to them…

 

I must have moaned, because Art tugged at my hair until I crawled up to be pulled into a proper hug. Their hands wandered soothingly over my skin while my imagination drove my libido unmercifully into the ground. "You like that idea?" Art rumbled in my ear and I cried out when I felt that teasing hand slip between my legs to rub through the moisture gathered there. "I guess you do, hmm? You like the idea of being that naked, that vulnerable, that accessible…" It only took a light tug at my pubes and I was scrambling to crouch over Art's mouth. For a long moment I was incoherent with desire, her exploratory touches driving me mad. There were pinches and tugs on the outer lips, as though she was trying to get me to feel the hair, and then imagine it all gone. She could have been saying it out loud and I couldn't quite make out the words. When she did finally pull me down to her waiting mouth, it took very little effort to push me over the edge. Janet's hands wandered over the tense muscles of my ass and back before pinching my nipples and encouraging me to climax again. Burrowing in as though she wanted to consume me from the inside out, Art helped me peak a second time. Shaking with reaction, I concentrated on Art mouthing me oh-so-softly now, knowing how painfully sensitive I was after an orgasm. That talented mouth mapped every curve and hollow and I hunched up around Art's head, death grip in her curls. Lips and teeth tugged at the fine hairs, reminding me again of what it must feel like, to have her tongue on my naked skin…

 

The glory was on me again, pleasure and pain ripping through my nervous system, the universe gone white. Some sane corner of my mind wondered if anyone could hear my screams through the sound-dampened walls. 

 

(12-15-99)

 

The morning sun tickled across the bed to coax one eyelid into doing its job. I was still curled against Art's side where I dimly remembered collapsing the night before. Her arm was wrapped loosely around me and her body warm against my back. Slowly, so as not to disturb my bedmates, I wormed my hand down to sift it through my pubic hair. How odd it would be not to have it, how illicit and thrilling… It would be almost like stepping back from being an adult, back to the purity of being a child once more. 'An erotic gesture of trust', Art had called it and I had heard the wistful desire in her tone.

 

Would she do it to me?

 

The thought made me shake with wanton hunger and I squirmed around until I was facing my lovers. Janet had rolled onto her back, one hand resting protectively on the twins. Art was sprawled out next to her, fingers resting lightly on Janet's hip. It was a peaceful scene and I hated to disturb them with my dirty, visceral need, but I was dying. Shaking with the effort to control myself even a little, I ducked over Art to kiss her softly, slowly increasing the heat of my touch. She woke gradually to the stimulation, hands rising to wrap around my supporting arms. Only then did I let her taste my desperation, my heat, my overpowering need. There was a startled sound as I ravaged her soft mouth, begged incoherently into her breath. Straddling that strong body, I rocked my hips against hers, pressing the curlies I was beginning to hate against her scars. Once she was as hot and bothered as I was, I released her bruised mouth only enough to meet her gaze. "Do it to me," rasped hoarsely in a voice I barely recognized as my own. "Shave me naked, make me yours. Please, I'll beg, I'll do anything, but you've driven me crazy with the idea. Please Art…"

 

++Art++

 

 _Theh-mou_! It was like being done in by a succubus, a siren, or a mythological vampire whose kiss was the ultimate high. Pain mixed with the pleasure of Sam's hard, desperate kiss. She was panting like a racehorse and riding my hipbone like a jockey. "Oh Art, please, please, please…"

 

As I grabbed a handful of gold hair to yank Sam's head back with uncharacteristic roughness, her pleas turned to staccato cries and her body convulsed in pleasure. A trickle of thick liquid tickled over my skin from the pool Sam's body had left behind. And she still rocked softly on the wet track she'd left where my hipbone was tight against my skin.

 

" _N'artho, ksanthee ahgahpitee mou._ ( _Come, my blonde beloved_.)" I growled in her ear and Sam convulsed again, burying her face into the pillow by my head to muffle the piercing cries. That woke Janet with a bit of a start and she looked over to grin warmly.

 

"Well, good morning you two," she chuckled as Sam melted into my body with a whimper. A glance at the clock told me that we were already running late and I grabbed Janet for a quick kiss.

 

" _Kahlee mehra_ , ( _Good morning_ ,) _ahgape-mou_. We need to get moving, there's a briefing in half an hour for our jump to P2X-416."

 

"Crap," Sam squeaked and tried to get away, but was held in place by my strong grip on her.

 

"And you," I growled lustily at her, loving it when her gorgeous eyes widened at the tone. "You and I have a conversation to finish later. Keep that in mind." And with a last, hard kiss, we were up and running.

 

As this was the first mission for SG1 since the whole O'Neill-Makepeace incident, we were understandably a little awkward together. Thankfully, as the briefing wore on, the familiar camaraderie began to return in fits and starts. Daniel even dared sass Jack about something I missed, since I was trying so damn hard not to pay Sam any undue attention. Not easy when the woman was trying to fry a hole in my forehead with that laser stare. After that we reviewed MALP footage of the world we were to visit and decided on what gear would need to be brought along. Then I spent a few hours training with Lucky and Jo. It was obvious that she wanted to ask questions, but didn't dare. So I relented… sort of.

 

"Hey Jo," I started in conversationally as we played enthusiastically with Lucky to reward her for being so good. "I was thinking that the whole gang of us should meet up for Christmas. Dinner, presents and the whole enchilada. Sound like fun?"

 

"Hell yes," she laughed.

 

With the issue of a family get together established, I could finally concentrate on my day.

 

++Sam++

 

It was a unique kind of torture. 

 

My own mind was obsessed with the possibilities of Art's story. Obsessed with wondering what the tug of the razor would feel like, the stark nakedness, the danger of that lethal blade on all that vulnerable skin…

 

"Hey!" The bark near my ear startled me so badly that the stool fell away from under my ass and strong arms kept me from tumbling ungracefully to the cement floor. My elbow connected solidly with my savior and she grunted in pain. "Fuck Carter, distracted much?" Karen taunted as she hauled me into her larger body to get my feet underneath me. "I called your name three times from the doorway."

 

Blinking like a dumbstruck deer in headlights, I wondered faintly at the odd look in her eye. It felt good to be held like this… too good. And way too familiar.

 

I had known Karen Taylor for more than a decade and had never acknowledged the spark between us. Now that Art and Janet had taken me into their hearts and bed, I realized exactly what the sparks were.

 

Karen was attracted to me…

 

Karen had always been attracted to me.

 

The revelation was like a gunshot and hot on the heels of it was a memory jogged loose from an alcohol fog…

 

She had tasted of contained strength and beer, smelled of warm sunlight and the heady scent of well-loved leather. I remembered the feel of her strong body that had supported my smaller frame when I wrapped myself around her. Those alcohol-dimmed memories boiled up from my brain, brought back by the furrow of concentration between her russet brows.

 

"Bane?" I breathed softly, eyes growing wide in shock. The diamond-cut emerald of her familiar gaze echoed the emotion oh-so-clearly. How could I not have recognized those eyes? Those fae-warrior eyes that burned like green fire across my skin… Holy Hannah, Karen was the leather dyke who Art and I had run into that night.

 

No wonder she had seemed so familiar and I had trusted her so easily. 

 

Terror and promise danced in her gaze, as we stood frozen in my lab. Some banal corner of my brain was ever so grateful that experiment with the Naquada reactor months ago had blown out the security system in here, as we were still standing wrapped around one another. Hammond had been so annoyed with young Marin and I.

 

Then the immediate situation jerked me back to where I was pressed so closely to Karen's lanky body. She was the leather dyke I had kissed in that bar… 

 

It was a damn shame I was taken.

 

But there was something going on between her and Darya that was obvious now that I knew what to look for. I was intrigued by the sudden possibilities for my pals, intrigued enough to take a sudden, crazy risk. Feeling quite bold, I took a step away from Karen's welcome body heat and reached into my back pocket. 

 

Never once breaking our locked gazes, I felt with blind fingertips into the tiny side pocket of my wallet and found exactly what I was searching for. Until this very moment, I didn't know why I had kept the money that had been tucked down the front of my skirt that fateful night. Sixty-three dollars, folded into a neat little rectangle of memories. Close enough to let our body heat lightly tease together; I stopped and let a slow smile warm my expression. Her fantastic green eyes rounded in response.

 

This giddy boldness was making me foolish and I knew it, but I couldn't bring myself to stop my own hand. It reached up to flip back the flap of the chest pocket on her fatigue shirt. My grin was evil as my index and middle fingers, money held between them, tucked into the warm space. There was a strong reaction to my touch, the firestorm in her eyes flaring bright as my fingers slid against her curves.

 

"This was the down payment from that night," I purred in a sensuous voice I barely recognized as my own. "But I can't make the investment." The hand lingered for a moment before returning to its place at my side. "Tell you friend Ace I'm sorry I can't play."

 

Nostrils flared, Karen burned me with a narrow-eyed glare that left me weak and trembling. There were no words, but her eyes spoke volumes in the suffocating silence. The sudden pressure of long fingers on my hand made me squeak softly as Karen brought the limb up to eye level. Ever so gently, she pressed my sensitive fingertips to her cheek, my thumb on her lips. 

 

The gentlest of kisses to the rough whorls on my thumb, and the sudden crushing press of her thumb in the middle of my palm was all that needed to be said. Never saying a word, Karen left me to the pleasure and pain she'd stirred up on and under my skin.

 

++Art++

 

Each piece was laid out carefully on the spotless white sheets I'd bought and washed just for this. There were a handful of pristine white towels and a large bowl waiting to be filled with hot water. Lined up like a surgeon's tray were the tools of my unusual skill. The marble bowl and soft brush, the heavy cake of soap and the long leather sharpening strap.

 

But the crowning glory of the set was the aged straight razor with its slim handle of smooth palm wood that matched the brush. It sat in my hand like a deadly snake waiting to strike. A noise downstairs caught my attention, my name called out in Janet's amused voice.

 

"Upstairs," I called back, never removing my eyes from the blade. 

 

Footsteps on the stairs, creak of the door, gasp of surprise and the burn of their gaze on the blade, glinting in the lamplight. Never once looking at my women, I raised the blade and let it glitter dangerously.

 

"What I didn't tell you last night," I spoke in a soft, dangerous tone. "Was that Velvet gave me the set as a farewell gift. I've been hauling it around for years now by telling the Army that it's a family heirloom. I wondered if I would ever need it again." Holding the blade vertically between my eyes, I finally met Sam's shadowed gaze. "You have a choice here Sam. Get naked and trust me, or walk away and never bring the subject up again."

 

There was a long, breathless pause where our eyes dueled across the bedroom. Sam shuddered before stepping into the pool of light that made the bed the most important thing in the room. Another pause and the black shirt was skinned off and nervously dropped in a pile. Watching her fumble with the simple white bra made me laugh suddenly and stride over. Gripping the blade between my teeth, I grabbed the snug cotton and expertly popped the clasp between her small breasts. Grinning around the deadly-sharp metal, I dropped the straight razor back into my hand and grabbed the waist of Sam's pants. A quick inhale concaved her stomach and I swiped the blade across the heavy green material. The olive button clattered to the floor and I returned the razor to my teeth. Sam shrugged the loosened bra off while I roughly yanked her pants open and let them drop around her ankles. That left me to toss the razor over with the rest of the kit and pay attention to my laughing wife.

 

"Some things never change," Janet chortled in delight as I kissed the corners of her smile. 

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"You two always did play awfully rough. Just like a pair of big silly puppies."

 

"Woof," I chuckled and looked back to where Sam was struggling desperately with her boots.

 

"I'm stuck," she whined softly and I laughed. That pouty sulk with those delectable lips and gorgeous eyes was irresistible. I grabbed a foot and shoved the fatigues up to get her laces loose. 

 

"I wanted to give you a thrill. Y'know, get you in the mood? I want you to like this _ehromenee_ ( _lover_ )."

 

"It worked," she whispered and all the sudden this was more sexy than funny. 

 

"Okay gorgeous, you're down to socks and underwear. Finish up."

 

Giggling breathlessly, Sam obeyed, tossing the articles of white cotton at Janet's feet and scrambling onto the center of the bed. While she wiggled around to get comfy, I grabbed the big bowl and went into the bathroom. "Sam, put a towel under your hips."

 

"'Kay," she called back, sounding breathless and eager to please. When the water was good and hot, I filled the bowl and gathered up the metal scissors and analgesic cream I'd left in the bathroom. The latter would be needed later to soothe her skin once the hair had been removed. Both items were set on the nightstand and I leaned over Sam's prone and wiggling body. She was delightful to kiss, warm and willing and tasty as hell. I nearly got my tongue bit when I slid a couple of curious fingers between her legs to get her off. Yelping in reaction, Sam brought her knees up and was rocking her hips in time with my demanding hand. Janet chuckled darkly as Sam convulsed with a squeaky bark.

 

"Okay, now that the edge is off, shall we get started?" I teased and painted her own juices across her soft mouth. Sam moaned softly and bit my finger. The humor was abruptly snuffed out as I took up the evil-looking metal scissors.

 

"Shit," she whined and tensed up again.

 

"Sam," I soothed gently and sprawled out on top of her naked body. "You have to relax. I can't do this unless you just go with it, okay?" A few slow kisses accomplished that and I could slowly nuzzle my way down her lanky body. Once down to the gold, I gave the thatch a quick kiss and took the scissors to them. The harsh grinding of the metal through the soft fuzz was loud in the quiet room. Each of the curly pinches was dropped into the tiny baggie I'd procured for just this purpose. "You've got beautiful coloring Sam," I purred. "All honey and fresh cream. And here," a quick series of pinches to her half naked labia made her squeal. "Fresh strawberries, hmmm?"

 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaart," she begged breathlessly and I held up the little baggie of curls.

 

"Look, a dimebag of love," I laughed and dove into her warmth, tongue first. In between bouts of get-her-off-quick sex, I had the illicit pleasure of running the vicious straight razor over Sam's pale and vulnerable skin. Learning this skill had been a shitload of fun all those years ago, and as much fun the few times I'd practiced since, but nothing had prepared me for how it felt with someone I loved. Utter trust and adoration shone in the summer blue eyes I had adored from the first time I'd looked into them and the matching smile. We may have had a long road to becoming lovers, but Sam and I had shared something special from that first moment. By the time the glitter of gold was a pleasant memory, Sam was reduced to a moaning wreck. I'd completely lost track of how many times I had coaxed a climax from her. "You really are insatiable," I panted and set the razor aside. Sam groaned half weary and half horny. I had no clue how long I had painstakingly rid her of hair and pretenses. The effort of concentration had wiped me out to my very bones. The last item of business was a damp washcloth in the now cool water to take off the remaining wisps of soap. Sam squeaked and recoiled, grabbing my wrist.

 

"Fuck," she hissed and stared wild-eyed at me.

 

"Sensitive?" Rather than teasing, I was aroused and sympathetic. "Let me see if I can help."

 

Now, Velvet had been shaved long before I walked into her life, but had warned me about the painful sensitivity of the neophyte. Grabbing the analgesic cream, I settled my body between Sam's legs and ignored her whimper. The white cream was cool on my fingertips, but warmed quickly. With tongue only, I burrowed into Sam's dripping heat in sync with stroking the cream over her newly bared skin. The sound she made was guttural and animalistic, her body curled up around my head and her grip punishing in my hair. 

 

**Shave and a Haircut Two Bits**

 

++Karen++

 

(12-16-99)

 

"'Mornin'," Art crowed happily as she bounced up the stairs to the control room and went over to Walter. They chatted quietly for a moment, Art laughed and handed him an envelope before approaching me. There was something glittering in her crystalline eyes, something euphoric and maybe a bit dangerous. It struck up an answering chord in me and a grin split my face.

 

"Boy, you're in a mood today," I chuckled as she leaned over my pristine desk.

 

"You have no idea," Art chortled madly and I had to laugh along with her obvious delight. "Bet you'd have given a body part to be me last night. So I brought you a present." I could almost hear Emily yelling, 'peasants!' But that distinctly perverse twinkle in Art's eyes was proof that this wasn't a gift I'd been sharing with that kid. She reached into her breast pocket and I was reminded of Sam's near-seduction yesterday. The charge in my body must have changed my eyes, because Art grinned in that half-thrilled, half-scared way that made me want to jump on her. Dammit, she was unknowingly triggering one of my strongest fetishes. Squelching down the wild fantasies popping up in my mind's eye, I flashed Art a warning look and she chortled again.

 

"Pain in my ass," I muttered and she yanked the little plastic baggie loose from her pocket and held it out teasingly.

 

"Courtesy of Sam and I," she whispered in a black velvet voice and tossed the baggie to land on my desk. It looked like it held a half-ounce of… gold curls? A start of shock rippled down my spine as I made an educated guess what the hell they were.

 

"You're evil," I growled, not taking my eyes off the curls.

 

"You're welcome," Art grinned evilly and straightened up with a luxurious cat stretch. Tease. "Hey, you and Darya and Emily should come over on Christmas day." As she bounced out of the room I could hear her whistling a familiar tune.

 

Shave and a haircut, two bits.

 

**Introspection**

 

++Sam++

 

Still weary, buzzed and pleasantly sore, I had wandered blearily through my morning. Last night was going to take some serious processing and my brain-turned-to-oatmeal was barely functioning. Thankfully, my hungry tummy was up to the task of telling my body to take the familiar walk to the commissary. Mmmm… coffee and… was that the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls?

 

There were scattered chuckles as a small, solid body impeded my monster-movie shuffle towards the seductive food. "Hey," a familiar voice growled and I froze.

 

So did Carol Astor.

 

It had been nearly seven months since… since that night. We'd avoided each other like the Black Plague ever since. Even now, the discomfort was a palatable thing between us, even as we remained looked in an emotional staredown. It was Carol that jerked her gaze away first.

 

But not before I had seen the sheen of tears in her eyes.

 

Crap.

 

There were so many regrets wrapped up in her, and so many pleasant memories. The dichotomy of my feelings baffled me. My inner focus was so intense that the gentle touch on my arm nearly made me drop my tray. This time there was sympathy and understanding mixed with the pain in her pale eyes. Neither of us had a damn thing to say, and yet there were a thousand things that we really needed to get cleared up. Someone cleared their throat behind me and Carol jerked her gaze away again. We had been holding up the line and quickly fell back into the 'feed me' shuffle. 

 

I was hardly surprised to find myself following Carol's small body to a table in the back of the half-full commissary. In the familiar black t-shirt and fatigue pants, I was struck at how identical her build was to the smaller of my two lovers. As we settled into our chairs, Carol eyed me oddly. "What?"

 

Without thinking, I answered honestly, "You're built just like Janet."

 

Whatever reaction I had been expecting from her, the delighted grin with the accompanying chuckle was the least expected and most welcome. "Not anymore."

 

Memories of Janet's pregnancy-ripe figure made me join in on the giggling until we were both nearly howling with laughter. When the storm passed, the tension was nearly gone and we returned to our meals. Coffee, eggs and drippy sweet rolls cleared my synapses up and helped me ignore the distracting ache Art had left behind with the shaving last night. It was going to take some serious getting used to. 

 

"Y'know, I made a promise to myself that I've flaked on," I mused thoughtfully and Carol eyed me with a combination of humor and wariness.

 

"Oh?"

 

"That night," I had to pause and swallow hard against the nerves. Her light brown gaze dropped away with a rosy flush. "When you made me laugh, I promised myself that I'd try to befriend you. I haven't done that."

 

Carol was staring down at her plate and toying with the remains of her scrambled eggs. "I haven't exactly encouraged you," she mumbled softly in a pained tone.

 

"I hurt you without meaning to."

 

The pale eyes returned to mine, the ache swirling with determination and self-preservation. "Major, you were the perfect man. I'm only hurting because I couldn't keep you."

 

The revelation left me speechless and my ears ringing with shock.

 

++Carol++

 

The expression would have been funny under different circumstances. Fortunately, I had a perverse sense of humor and could work with this.

 

"I mean, think about it. Women always complain that men don't understand us, right?"

 

Hesitantly, the blonde head nodded and blue eyes began to clear. All the things that had instantly attracted me to the male version were still strongly evident. Kindness, brains and plain old common decency were second nature to Sam Carter. Damn shame the packaging wasn't my cup of tea anymore. Besides, she had that look of someone who was being taken care of just fine.

 

"Must be why straight girls love the gay boys," Sam muttered and I couldn't stop the burst of delighted laughter.

 

"Basically. I guess I got to live out the ultimate fantasy, huh?"

 

I really did feel better now that I had been given the chance to clear the air with her. There might always be some awkwardness between us from that one night, but I knew now that I could still like her just fine. Reaching across the table to rest my hand on her arm, I grinned warmly.

 

"Thanks, I needed that. Putting that night," her flush made me grin, "into perspective has helped."

 

Resigned to the teasing, Carter saluted me with her coffee cup and smiled shyly. It was no wonder half the damn base was crazy about her.

 

**To be continued…**

 

Author's note: The comments about Carol being built just like Janet is pretty much canon. The woman who played Lieutenant Astor is Janet's stunt double. I couldn't resist.


	17. Close Shave…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls bond even more closely through memories and conversation. Not to mention really hot sex…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: NC17
> 
> Pairings: Janet, Art and Sam.

++Sam++

 

(12-17-99)

 

This was going to drive me insane.

 

And Art knew it.

 

Damn her.

 

I still burned and fizzled under my skin like electricity, the push and pull of my suddenly unfamiliar uniform threatening to send me into screaming fits. It was maddening and thrilling, the almost painful sensitivity in my groin. When I’d begged Art to shave me, I thought I’d been prepared.

 

Wrong. Oh so very, very, dead-ass wrong.

 

Pulling together my scattered attention, I focused on Daniel, who was eyeing me oddly. “You okay, Sam?”

 

“Wha? Oh… um… just a little tired, that’s all.”

 

Art’s focus didn’t shift away from O’Neill, but I saw her smirk. I wanted to reach down and rub away the burning sensitivity so bad that my vision was blurry. Not a good frame of mind to be in for hand-to-hand combat practice. Shaking off the distraction as best I could, I raised my fists in their padded half-gloves.

 

Normally, Daniel couldn’t best me, despite the fact that he’d become a much better fighter over the years of Jumping. I dodged the first punch with sheer reflexes, then the second, then… I had to twist to avoid a decent body swipe, and my damn pants rasped across my crotch. Daniel’s body impacted into mine and we tumbled toward the floor. Some primitive instinct tried to jerk me out of the way of his larger mass. The effort was amazingly successful as I twisted in midair to put Daniel’s larger body under mine. He hit the mat with a ‘whuff’ and my body crashed down.

 

And the most amazing sensation exploded across my nervous system.

 

It was like an explosive orgasm and a swift kick in the crotch all rolled up into one. Daniel’s elbow broke my fall, so to speak, and the rough ride down his raised arm compounded the sensations. By the time I finally came to a stop straddling his chest, I was concerned that I had truly burned out a few synapses. There was a brief glance of his shocked and concerned eyes as I curled up into a fetal ball.

 

Gradually the intensity lessened slightly and other sensations crept in. Hands on my back, Daniel’s frenzied apologies, and O’Neill’s calm instructions that I should be taken to the Doc. Twitching and gasping, I was draped between the two men and hauled off to the Infirmary. Janet’s voice was asking questions, Art’s hands grabbed my legs and I was settled onto a firm exam table.

 

“She basically got kicked in the crotch,” Art explained and Daniel spluttered. Wrung out from too many shocks to my system and desperate for some relief from the humiliation, I groaned plaintively. That was Janet’s cue to shoo the others out of the exam room.

 

“Poor Sam,” she soothed softly and stroked my forehead. The other hand curled, ever so gently, around the burn between my legs. “Maybe a bit too sensitive, hmm?” I moaned again, for her tender touch soothed and stoked the fire, reminding me what she meant to me now. When I moaned again, peering up at her through unshed tears, she bent over to kiss me softly. “Relax love, I’ll take care of you.” It was simple enough for Janet to remove my boots and tug at my belt. Still unable to verbalize clearly, I must have made some small noise, for she grinned at me. “I need to make sure your goodies aren’t damaged, now arch your hips up. Carefully now…”

 

She shucked off my pants and underwear with ease and it was a relief to have the snug cloth away from my newly-shaven skin. Socked feet in the dreaded stirrups, I awaited her touch. The air in the room was almost chilly against the hot flush in my groin, the vinyl cool on my ass. Settling onto a stool, Janet slid up between my feet and clicked on the little spotlight. I jumped when I finally felt her, but the dull pain faded as my body remembered her lover’s touch.

 

“You look intact,” Janet murmured as she examined me gently and I tried to ignore my growing need. “You need to quit playing so rough with the boys.” Pleasure sang along my nerves as her tone and touch changed. The pads of her fingers stroked along the tiny shaft of my pleasure, and through the pooling wet of my guilty arousal.

 

“Oh Janet,” I groaned softly. “Please.”

 

“You need a little TLC?” She purred softly, her light stroking maddening, pushing aside any lingering pain. “Daniel’s various body parts not good enough for you, eh?”

 

Ablaze with embarrassment and need, I arched into her and heard her chuckle. Exquisitely gentle, Janet peeled back the naked, sensitive lips of my sex and just held me like that.

 

“Please… please…”

 

It was an eternity before I felt the tickle of her hair, the feather brush of her tongue where my need was hard and tight. With that soft stroking she drew up the incline and let me loose to fly free. The rolling orgasm left me drained and relaxed.

 

++Janet++

 

It took a moment to fix my makeup and drape a sheet over Sam’s hips. “You rest sweetie and I’ll be back to check on the swelling soon.” Sam hummed wearily at me and tossed one arm over to eyes to block out the overhead lights. Poor thing was wiped out lately. “Oh, and Sam?” One blue eye peered out at me. “Don’t forget that you’re scheduled for a Jump tomorrow.”

 

“Oh God…” She moaned as I closed the door behind me with a chuckle. Once she’d calmed down, Sam would be ready for her regular physical. In the meantime, I could get started on her teammates. 

 

Art was making faces at Mac while the Navy physician did her damnest to concentrate. The antics made me laugh and got Art a smack on the knee. Beneath my hands, Daniel chuckled along. “What a difference a year makes,” he grinned softly and gave me a warm smile. I didn’t get it. I didn’t…

 

The hubbub of the Infirmary faded away as I realized something so big and so glaringly obvious it was like suddenly noticing that there was a florescent elephant standing on your foot.

 

It was December seventeenth.

 

It was goddamn December seventeenth!

 

Horror made my stomach roil and I made an apologetic noise at Daniel before bolting from the room. I hadn’t suffered incessantly from morning sickness and nausea while pregnant. The queasy tornado ripping through my guts was making up for lost time. Only the prick of a needle broke through the storm of sickness and it receded a bit. Gasping and panting, I leaned against the knees of my savior and tried to get a grip. “Better?” Mac asked and I could only nod weakly. “That was just dolasetron. You sounded like you needed it.”

 

“It’s December seventeenth,” I murmured woodenly, still shivering in horror at forgetting.

 

“And?” Mac prodded quietly and rested a gentle hand on my shoulder.

 

“One year,” I sobbed and leaned my forehead against the toilet seat. “One year.”

 

++Sam++

 

Tucking in my shirt, I was prepared to leave when someone stepped in. Since it was Mac, I didn’t think anything of it. “So, we good?”

 

“I need your help.”

 

Now I was paying attention and took note of the sudden strain in her expression. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Janet’s tweaking over something and Art’s unfindable. Can you help?”

 

“Where?” 

 

“Bathroom, c’mon.”

 

I heard the sobbing as soon as the door swung shut behind us. Mac’s voice barely registered as I rushed over to drop to the cool tiles and gather Janet into my arms. “Shhh, I’ve got you,” I purred softly over and over again while rocking her soothingly.

 

“Oh Sam, we forgot,” Janet sniffled. “It’s December seventeenth. Poor Art. What are we gonna do?”

 

One year ago a grenade had exploded only feet from Art, blasting fourteen chunks of ragged metal into her vulnerable body. By some miracle she had been saved by a team of Army doctors and returned to her own country. Broken and barely healed, with no possibility of a future with the military, Art came to the SGC as an unexpected last chance. I remembered the quiet pride and wry humor that was so characteristic of her and made her so irresistible. Only nine days later I had stood over her with the Healing Device I could barely control and finished piecing together the damage modern science could do nothing for. Now she was happy, healthy and successful, with a long and prosperous future ahead of her.

 

“We’re going to go home and make her happy that she’s alive,” I said simply and Janet’s expression began to clear.

 

“Yes. Thank you Sam. That’s exactly what we should do.”

 

Mac flashed a relieved grin as we left the bathroom and assured us that she would cover us for the day. Now to go home and show that woman precisely what she meant to us.

 

++Art++

 

If I was honest with myself, I had mixed feelings about this day and the fact that no one had brought it up. Cassie had merely flashed me a weird glance on the heels of a smile as I walked in and headed upstairs. There was a mirror there and I usually avoided it while the scars were uncovered. Yanking off my fatigue shirt, I gathered handfuls of the black t-shirt and paused. My reflection looked scared and lonely. It was a real effort to peel of the soft material and face the scars. They looked no different, no outside change marked this milestone in my life. Ragged and puckered, the massive zipper started under the soft sportsbra and ran down my torso to vanish under my pants. It was terrifying to look at and always had been, no matter how brave I might act about it.

 

The puckered scars were rough yet soft against my fingertips as I explored them. It was rare that I did this, this self-exploration of the marks. So little sensation from my torso, and so much felt through my fingers. The dichotomy of feeling never ceased to amaze me.

 

There was a creak and light from the hallway spilled into the dim room. “Are you okay?”

 

It was Cassie, concern strong in her voice and the warm weight of Cooper and Lucky were suddenly on my legs. “No,” I heard my voice answer against the bidding of my fear. In a soft rustle of movement, she was standing beside me, this girl becoming a woman. Fourteen and a half with a gravity to her no child should ever have to know.

 

“At least you get to carry your scars on the outside,” came the wise words that froze my self-pity in its tracks. I met her eyes in the mirror, and looked down at my loyal and loving dogs. Sam and Janet were probably on their way home by now and I had two children on the way when I would have never be able to have any of my own. Laughter bubbled up, carrying something dark and morbid and infected with it.

 

“You’re right Cassie,” I chuckled gently and gathered her into a tight hug. “Thanks for reminding me to quit whining.”

 

“Wasn’t whining,” Cass mumbled and hugged me back. “It was pain. I know how you feel.”

 

We were still standing like that when Janet and Sam filled the doorway with their presences.

 

++Janet++

 

In the deepest hours of night, with a Stargate Jump awaiting them and days of worry for me, none of us could sleep. We’d made love for what felt like an eternity, showered and dozed off. Only to remain too restless to rest for very long. So the night had turned into twenty questions, which turned to sexual revelations, which got my puppies all riled up. Luckily, they remained careful of my swollen body as they rough housed.

 

“Sam, you ask the strangest questions,” Art chuckled and brought my attention back to my lovers.

 

“If you don’t ask, you don’t learn,” Sam responded primly and dissolved into giggles as she was tickled.

 

“I swear you two,” I groused good-naturedly. “You can’t go more than an hour without acting like wolf pups.” They desisted their wrestling with a laugh and once more snuggled up to me. Murmured apologies earned them fond kisses on their heads. “What turns me on, huh? Besides the two of you?” More chuckling and soft kisses accompanied Art’s evil grin and Sam’s bashful pleasure. “How you can still be red faced around us Sam is a miracle,” I teased lightly and she buried her face into my shoulder with a strange noise that was as pleased as it was disgruntled. “I like knowing the way things work, what makes a body tick so to speak. Years ago I started bugging any adult that would listen to tell me what my heartbeat was and why I had to eat food and why we had to use the bathroom. Things like that. My mother bought me a book about body functions and I was hooked. Sometimes it’s hard to separate my job from the physical attraction I might feel for a patient, but I have to. Coming home to you two gives me a whole new appreciation of body and soul.” I saw their matched smiles, felt their silky skin under my wandering hands. The play of strong, flat muscles and the steady rhythm of their hearts thrilled me endlessly. “But I’d adore you both even if something awful happened to you. As long as you’re with me.” First Art and then Sam thrilled me with slow kisses and gentle caresses. Satisfied with that for the time being, I hooked a finger under Art’s chin to catch her eye. “What about you _ahn-dhras_ ( _husband_ )?” 

 

There was something odd in Art’s expression, something perhaps a bit embarrassed and shameful. Before I could ask, she spoke very softly. “I’m fascinated by power and I have a thing for uniforms. My first girl lover back in San Antonio was a civilian cop. Sexy uniforms those Troopers have. At least on the svelte ones.” We chuckled at the reality of those not quite suited by body type for uniforms. Uniformity was sometimes overrated. 

 

“Is that where that silver Texas button came from?” I asked curiously. “The one that's tied around that ratty shepherd stuffed animal on your desk?” It was a ridiculous looking thing, with a lolling pink tongue, a coonskin cap and a red collar with a ‘Huck Finn’ tag hanging from it.

 

“Good guess,” Art chuckled and I gave her a mocking glower.

 

“And here I thought it was from Jo.”

 

We chuckled for a moment before Art sobered and reached out to lightly trace Sam’s lower lip, her expression thoughtful and vulnerable. “Your power, both of you, it’s awe-inspiring and intimidating.” Sam and I grinned with pleasure and Art continued in that soft tone. “You two are the cream of the crop for the brainy end of the human spectrum. Maybe you don’t see it the way I do. Not to say that mere ordinary folk like me or say Karen or Mac aren’t any less valuable and competent than you two or Jo or Daniel, but the raw intellectual power and focus really is amazing. Add in that we’re all among that ten-odd percent of the military and you’re both high ranking officers and you can see where I’m coming from.” She’d gone from deadly serious to grinning madly and I could only laugh and pull her into a warm hug.

 

“You always did have a way with words,” I chuckled lovingly and accepted her kisses willingly. “Thank you love.” Art’s delight deepened almost shyly as Sam roughly nuzzled her temple and growled possessively. 

 

“You guys broke me out of a self-imposed prison I didn’t even know I was locked in,” Sam murmured harshly, her expression heart-breakingly sincere. “No one’s ever made me feel so safe and loved as you guys do. That’s important to me.”

 

++Sam++

 

If only they knew how important. Yet, every time I looked into their eyes, unguarded in private like this, I could see that they really did understand. 

 

“I like it when I can play rough with you Art,” my voice spoke up and my face flushed. She just nuzzled my face gently. “You always seem to know how I feel. No one’s ever even come close but my mother.”

 

“No one’s ever tried hard enough,” Art soothed and tugged at me to clamber over Janet’s body and be pulled into a suffocating hug. “I intend to spend the rest of our lives getting to know every nuance of you. Both of you. Now tell me what that repressed dirty mind of yours has conjured up.” How did she always seem to know? Embarrassed as hell, I burrowed into her neck and shoulder and could feel the burn of awkwardness. But I had started this conversation and chickening out now would only get me tickled or wrestled into submission. Not that the whole idea wasn’t appealing…

 

“I want to break the rules,” I hedged feather-soft in Art’s ear. “But it’s hard. Sometimes you push me too hard and I like it. It makes me try harder and do things I probably wouldn’t be brave enough to do on my own.”

 

“Like getting involved with us in the first place?”

 

“Exactly like that.”

 

“Like getting shaved naked?”

 

Burning with a flood of kinky hormones, I squirmed anxiously into her sturdier body and squeaked when she bit my neck. Thank God those strong tendons connecting neck and shoulders were hidden under the uniform, that bite was probably going to leave a bruise. The disciplined, stoic part of me fought the arousal from the rough treatment. I wasn’t supposed to like this, it railed angrily at me. But really, who wrote the bedroom rules? Shouldn’t the involved parties in the relationship dictate them? Hadn’t I just complimented her on pushing me to hard?

 

The moan echoing up from my chest was a relief to finally let go. Art chuckled lovingly as I rolled my head off to the side to give her easy access to my vulnerable throat. Neither of them would hurt me and I knew it.

 

++Janet++

 

Oh, now this was getting interesting. Seems Sam’s love of the rough play extended deeper than we’d thought. Art was being very careful not to leave any marks on the long column of Sam’s arched throat, but was taking no such precautions across shoulders and clavicle. When Sam jerked and squeaked from a particularly aggressive nip, I thought that would be the end of this experiment. Something must have shown in the pale blue gaze, for there was an answering blaze in Art’s darker gaze. “Don’t stop,” Sam ground out harshly and threw her head back with a groan as Art attacked her breasts with a growl. There was little I could do when they got rough like this, but it was a ton of fun to watch. As Sam writhed and stretched, I impulsively grabbed her wrists when she had them above her head.

 

“I’ve got you,” I hissed softly and those pale eyes stared at me in grateful shock. There was no way in hell I could restrain Sam like this unless she wanted me too. The angle was bad and she was far stronger than I was. It was the psychology of the restraint that was working. Of all the times Sam had been trapped, physically, mentally and emotionally, this was a safe way to alleviate all that. And there was nothing the two of us wouldn’t do for her.

 

(12-18-99)

 

As awful as I had felt about missing this anniversary until almost the last minute, the payoff had been well worth it. With Sam still sore from her accident earlier in the day and the twins as bulky as usual, we had both ravished Art slow and sweet. In turn, she had lovingly mapped every square inch of our caramel and cream skins, making us both feel cherished and loved. It made saying goodbye to them the next morning both harder and easier. I watched SG1 and Art head for the active wormhole and step bravely through. As usual, I sent off a quick prayer and prepared to go about my day. How I hated waiting…

 

“Doctor Fraiser?”

 

It was Eric, newly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and now in charge of SG3. All of them had been promoted up a rank for good service and reward for remaining loyal. They looked supremely uncomfortable, even Mac, and she worked with me all the time.

 

“What can I do for you Colonel?”

 

“Do you have a minute?”

 

“Sure. Is the Briefing Room okay?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Chris sat on one side of me while Mac took the other. That left me to watch Eric and Mark and their stoic pain that was barely disguised by training and effort. “Carter’s living at your place now, right?”

 

Whatever the hell I expected Eric to say, I certainly wasn’t prepared for that comment. Fear blasted up my spine and threatened to short-circuit my brain. Everyone knew about Art and I, but Sam wasn’t protected, she wasn’t safe. Eric suddenly waved me off and scowled in that brusque and endearing way of his. “Shit Doc, I wasn’t implying anything. Jeezus…” Mark smirked and Mac choked on a cough while Chris just laid his head on his crossed arms and sighed. It was actually kind of funny and I let my lips quirk up in a queasy grin.

 

“Can’t really blame me for worrying about her reputation,” I shrugged with utterly false nonchalance, but Eric took the comment at face value.

 

“Yeah, that’s fair. Look, I’m only bringing it up because we still feel awful about what happened with… you know.”

 

I did know. And I understood that they couldn’t talk about it yet. They had adored Bob Makepeace, followed him into danger a hundred times or more, laughed and bonded with a camaraderie that seemed unique to Marines and their Navy counterparts. The devastation of his treachery would take a lifetime to heal. My solemn nod was enough to reassure Eric and his body language perked up a bit. 

 

“We wanna do something nice for her, y’know, let her know not all Marines are assholes. I overheard Goldston talking about building an apartment over the garage for Cassandra. We’d like to do that for Carter instead.” I must have looked as startled as I felt, because Mark suddenly jumped in.

 

“We already have the stuff we’ll need and it’ll only take a few days. An architect buddy of mine drew up some plans and Chris knows how to do electric wiring from his uncle.” Chris grinned and flashed a thumb up in the corner of my eye. “The permits from the city are already filed because we were really hoping you’d say yes.”

 

Well then…

 

++Art++

 

(12-22-99)

 

Ah, four days locked in a cage or running for our lives, wondering where my partner was and listening to the locals have a religious pow wow over their origins in the universe.

 

There were times I really hated stepping through the Stargate.

 

Eventually our captor had convinced himself to throw away his beliefs of a divine entity creating his people on that world. Our presence had convinced him and he’d helped fashion our escape. Battered and frustrated yet again, we stomped down the ramp with a damaged Nyan in tow. Poor guy would have to live here now; there would be no returning to the world of his birth. 

 

“Remind me why we do this again?” I smirked at Jack as we settled Nyan onto a waiting gurney and followed him towards the Infirmary. 

 

“Don’t ask me, I’ve been trying to retire for years now,” he chuckled and smacked me on the arm. I was seriously disappointed that Janet wasn’t there, but it would give Sam and I something to look forward to when we got home. We slogged through debriefing, checked in on Nyan, said goodbye to our teammates and headed home. Now that the danger and boredom of our latest adventure was over, Sam was starting to squirm. 

 

“Poor baby,” I chuckled and ran a friendly hand up her inner thigh. Sam squeaked and the car skipped dangerously on the icy road. “Full of adrenaline and hormones, with no way to bleed it off.” There was a screech of the Jeep’s heavy tires as Sam took the four by four onto the sloped shoulder, thankfully away from the steep edge of the mountain. “Anxious?”

 

Sinuously twisting her body from under the wheel, Sam was abruptly straddling my lap and kissing me roughly. I chuckled deep in my body and reached down to drop the passenger seat flat.

 

“If you insist _ahromenee_ ( _lover_ ) _._ ”

 

++Janet++

 

They were late and I was worried.

 

Stress was never good for a body, but it was particularly bad news for me right now. With one hand resting on the swell of my unborn children, I waited for the return of the women I loved. Cassie flopped down beside me and snuggled into my side. “How’re you feeling?”

 

“Decent. But very pregnant.”

 

We chuckled softly together, foreheads touching. What a strange family we all made, but I adored it. “They’ll be home soon,” Cassie reassured me and on cue, headlights flashed across the living room window. 

 

“Thank God,” I murmured and climbed to my feet to greet my tardy lovers. They were laughing and breathless with whatever game they had been playing this time. “You’re late.”

 

Art grew sober and came to me with a warm hug. “ _Leepahmay_ ( _I’m sorry_ ) my love, we got caught up.” The apology was as sincere as Sam’s blush, so I willingly let Art kiss me hello.

 

“You should call.”

 

“I promise. Why are the outside lights all out?”

 

Ah yes, the surprise still awaited Sam. Cassie barreled out to tackle the blonde woman back into the door with a suffocating hug. “Hi! You have a present! Can I mom?”

 

“Be my guest sweetie. C’mon Art, you’ll want to see this too.”

 

Together we herded the taller women upstairs to show them what the Marines had accomplished. “There,” Cass pointed out proudly and pointed at the end of the hallway. Blonde hair and black canted sideways in confusion at the new addition.

 

“There’s a door there,” Sam pointed out unnecessarily and Cass and I chuckled.

 

“Open it. There’s nothing scary in there, I promise.”

 

Trusting me, Sam went to the door and yanked it open. Both and she and Art needed to be prodded into the room beyond, where they gawked at the new space. 

 

“What the hell,” Sam murmured as she took in the apartment that had once been drafty garage rafters. 

 

“The Marines wanted to apologize for their own,” I explained quietly. “Go check out the bathroom, I’m jealous as hell.”

 

There was a plain bedroom with a double bed and a simple, sturdy dresser and desk. It had been Chris and Mark’s joke to scare up camouflage print bedding and stitch a patch on it reading, ‘Property of the SGC’. It earned the laugh I’m certain they had been hoping for.

 

Through the other door was a bathroom that any fancy hotel would be proud of. There was a whirlpool tub and a glass shower stall that had nozzles sticking in all directions. Mac had enjoyed embarrassing her teammates by making dirty comments about the potential uses of all that plumbing. The wall above the oversized vanity was completely mirrored with an enormous lighting fixture mounted in the ceiling.

 

“Holy Hannah,” Sam breathed.

 

“I’ll let them know you like it,” Cassandra grinned in delight.

 

++Sam++

 

After ogling the room, Cassie discretely slipped away so that Art and Janet could soothe my overwhelmed emotions. Hugs and kisses did the trick as we cuddled on the firm new bed and its thick pillows. In time Cass called us downstairs with complaints of a growling tummy and a phone call with Mac on the other line. She was nice enough not to pass onto her teammates the teary catch in my voice. There was no doubt that I adored the gesture and willingly agreed to go drinking and playing pool with the four of them someday soon to celebrate.

 

Knowing we adults would be useless with emotions running high among us, Cassandra shooed us off to bed. It was obvious she knew exactly what was going on and was playing it cool. So Art cheerfully agreed with her and grabbed me in a headlock to haul me upstairs. Why we both liked this particular physical exchange was beyond me, but her tender/rough treatment of me was bliss. In the bathroom, she gave me that smoldering look that made me literally weak in the knees. Janet giggled in delight as she always did when we got frisky. 

 

“You two are entirely too overdressed.”

 

While I had no idea exactly what Art had planned, there was that glint of something almost dangerous in her eye and I couldn’t obey fast enough. Somehow she was naked faster than I was and my last boot was yanked off to let the fatigue pants fall away. With a sinuous move my lust-slowed brain couldn’t track, Art suddenly had me face down in the mattress with my hands trapped in the small of my back. The expert police hold increased the fountain between my legs, made me whine shamelessly for relief.

 

“Kinky, horny bitch,” Art mock-growled and I squealed in delight at the burn of her swat across my ass. What was it about this woman that brought out this side of me? A second spank on the other cheek brought my hormones to a nice boil, my hips arching eagerly off the bed.

 

“Please, oh please Art.”

 

“Bring your knees up under your body,” she rasped hoarsely and pressed my wrists harder into the small of my back. I was going to have to work for it and we both knew it. With real effort and limber muscles, I managed to get both knees splayed open, hips arched up a hand-span, so damn hot I thought I would die. “Janet love, would you do the honors?”

 

The bed shifted as Art moved to straddle my shoulders and settle lightly into me. Now I felt truly dominated and luxuriated in the trusting sensation. Art gave my wrists a warning squeeze before linking my hands in a parade rest.

 

“Keep them there, you hear me?”

 

“Yessssss…”

 

Breathing short, every nerve tight and straining, I let my body feel the movements of Janet wiggling around on the bed. The brush of warm skin across my foot, calf, knee… soft hair trailing teasingly across my flesh. Distracted from the tender feeling by the impact across my tense ass, the sting translating straight into my groin…

 

“Fast or slow?” Was Janet’s sudden purr as her hair tickled across my belly, breath hot in my groin.

 

“Might be fun to see how long she’ll last, getting it hot and slow,” Art growled and I cried out in ecstatic distress at their teasing. Art shifted lower on my body, scars and curlies almost touching my clenched hands, trapped there by nothing more than my own need. Her hands stroked ass, thighs, the back of my knees and her scarred belly pressed into my locked fingers. Janet pressed kisses into my lower belly and her lips tugged at my naked labia. With her hands adding to the stroking, I flew higher. If I moved my hips more than the slightest bit, Art would swat me and admonish me to stay still. When I was good and did as told, Janet’s exquisite mouth would tease deeper. The universe ceased to exist, only them and the firestorm of emotion and sensation only they could cause. The softest of sucking, firm-gentle hands, the weight pinning me, willing and vulnerable to the bed…

 

It built like a volcano, magma filling my whole body and the pressure ready to tear me apart. A thousand times I traveled to that cliff edge and was coaxed away to climb higher and higher. Strong arms wrapped around my hips so that Art’s whole body was holding me firmly. “Do it baby,” she growled and I started screaming as Janet’s mouth suddenly pulled at me as though trying to turn me inside out. A gentle, firm touch on my vulnerable anus shattered me even further apart…

 

(12-23-99)

 

Sensation filtered in slowly to comb back the darkness. Every muscle ached and twitched, my bones like gelatin. A low moan and a loving chuckle perked my ears right up and made me turn my head. They were so beautiful together, Janet sprawled on her back with one legs drawn up and Art wrapped carefully around her. Kissing and cuddling, they slowly made love, Art’s arm flexing as she stroked her wife to completion.

 

Trembling and crying out, Janet shuddered in her ecstasy. “Good morning,” she purred softly and trailed healer’s hands over Art’s coca skin. 

 

“ _Kahlee mehra_ ( _good morning_ ). Sam’s up”

 

“Good, she’ll have to judge my technique. Bring that luscious bod over here, you sexy thing you.”

 

My exhausted body whimpered to life as Janet slowly guided Art into position. That wicked tongue trailed over skin, scars and the outline of bone and muscle just under the surface. I was mesmerized by the beauty of them, desperate and leery of joining in.

 

Janet’s hand slithered out to connect with my belly and walked up my torso and throat to slip in between my lips. While Art settled in over her wife’s mouth, I suckled at the teasing digits caressing my tongue. Head thrown back, Art was losing herself in the expert loving. It only took a tug at my jaw to coax me into the action.

 

Carefully, I wedged my body between Art and the headboard, capturing her moaning mouth. Janet’s wet fingers trailed down my side as Art and I caressed each other. I could imagine the sight we must make, the sexy image fracturing when those damp fingers slipped deep into the constant burn between my legs. It was as though they had tapped into a lifetime of need when they had uncorked my once-repressed sexuality.


	18. Happy Holidays…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry freakin' Christmas…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Back to the nastiness again. We've got a NC-17 rating, we've got serious kink here, we've got… oh just read the silly thing. 
> 
> Pairings: Janet, Art and Sam.

++Janet++

 

(12-24-99)

 

"Not much longer now," I answered Colonel Raymond's cheery question about the twins as I walked past him to the Infirmary. The bulk of them on my small frame was becoming very noticeable. Everyone was in good spirits this day, the magic time of Christmas Eve, and relative peace in the SGC was intoxicating. My staff turned a blind eye when Art slipped in to grab me in a hug from behind and lightly kiss my neck.

 

"Hey gorgeous," she purred and I giggled happily. "See you tonight. Have a wonderful day."

 

A little note was pressed into my hand before she had sauntered out to finish her day. Her sexy half-smile on the way out sent me scampering for my office as soon as I could. It was concise and to the point, like my sweet _ahgahpee._

 

*The show starts when you walk in the door tonight, but no getting home early.*

 

Show? Anticipation dried my mouth and sent my heart rate soaring. What were they up to now?

 

++Art++

 

The change was startling, despite my hand in it from the beginning. Sam and I had ducked out early on our shifts, having arranged it a week ago with O'Neill. Cassandra was spending Christmas Eve with Uncle Jack and Daniel and they would bring her back tomorrow morning. The living room had been prepped and the final touches were going into the costumes. Considering how obviously Sam was trembling with anticipation, I wouldn't be surprised to find that my makeup was a mess. She had been painting tiny lines of black around my mouth to simulate facial hair. Already, she was dressed like one of the Backstreet Boys, every inch the scruffy teenage punk. With her slight build and a baseball cap pulled backwards over her hair, the transformation was quite convincing at first glance. Blue eyes had gone dark with the need building inside her. A while back, we three had talked about fantasies and things that turned us on. Poor Sam missed certain things that being a man had taught her all those months ago. So we were going to attempt to make some new memories along those lines.

 

Abruptly, I let my own burning arousal break free and grabbed Sam to press her body back into the sink. She gasped and moaned as the pressure of my kiss thumped the back of her skull into the mirror. In the nesting of our hips was the firm press of the surprise packages strapped to both of us. When I felt her hands creep into my hair, I growled menacingly into her mouth, "keep your hands to yourself boy," and smacked her hard across the upper curve of her ass. For a long moment I leaned back only far enough to see that Sam had grabbed the edge of the bathroom counter in a desperate grip, eyes closed, chest heaving, skin flushed. Stars above, she was sexy as hell, even in full boy drag. Again, I ground her pelvis into the unforgiving tile and ran rough-gentle hands across her chest to pinch sensitive nipples. "Pretty boy," I purred in my lowest tone, fully lost in the fantasy now. "So good, so needy. Aren't you?"

 

A demanding bite just under the edge of her hair brought on a cry and a convulsive shifting of Sam's hips. "Y...yes."

 

"Yes what?"

 

The wheels in Sam's head were turning frantically to come up with an appropriate term. A jerk of my hips brought on another groan and her head rolled forward to rest on my shoulder. "Yes sir," she whispered almost soundlessly and I could feel the burn of embarrassment on her skin. Oh, this just kept getting better and better. I let just enough space between us to reach down and wrap a firm hand around the false erection beneath the baggy pants and grind it firmly into Sam's hairless crotch. As sensitive as she was from being shaved earlier in the evening and all this playing, she was soon howling from the quick orgasm that crashed through her. Chuckling in delight at my _ehromenee_ and her enthusiasm, I slipped that same hand under the jeans and boxers to gather up both her moisture as well as a squeak of response. She stared at me with passion-dazed eyes as I painted that pleasure across her soft mouth.

 

"Now go wait on the couch and be a good boy."

 

"Yes sir," she sighed dazedly and crept from the bathroom. That left me to try to ignore my own distracting arousal and finish my costume.

 

++Sam++

 

Originally, the beer was to have been merely a prop, but after that quick ravish in the bathroom, I was overheated enough to put half the bottle down while still in the kitchen. I had no idea all this role-playing was going to be such a damn turn-on. Still tingling from that latest orgasm, I was fully prepared to do anything to get more. The taste of beer and my own come that Art had so deviously painted me with, heated me right up for the next round. The memory of the brute she had strapped around her hips, just for me, added fuel to the fire. Suddenly, the front door rattled open and I froze. There was a long beat while I stared at the kitchen door and waited in nervous anticipation. Then the sounds of the most recent Colorado Avalanche hockey game filtered into the kitchen. Janet had pushed the 'play' button on the remote control as the note instructed. That was my cue.

 

It took real effort to act as though I was unaware of Janet's presence near the entertainment center. In that shadowed corner, lit only by the sparkling Christmas tree lights, she had a perfect vantage point of our stage. So I flopped lazily onto the couch and thumped both sneakered feet onto the coffee table. Those sultry brown eyes burned over me, taking in my boyish appearance. So I slouched lower into the cushions and took another long swig from the beer. Any second now…

 

"Dammit boy! What the hell are you doing?!"

 

Art had snuck into the room so quietly that I nearly jumped clean out of my skin when she shouted in that menacing cop voice. Snapping my head around, I saw that the gunbelt had been buckled over the civilian cop uniform. Oh yeah, I was in for it now. Remembering my role, I hunched my shoulders and whined, "nothing."

 

Footsteps clomped over in the heavy boots to stand beside my knees. I looked up into glittering dark eyes, only the hockey game and the tree illuminating the room. Gesturing to the bottle still clenched in my fist, Art continued in her role. "And what the hell is that fucking beer doing in your hand? You know you're not old enough to drink that! Worthless piece of shit, I oughtta put you over my knee and spank you, since you keep acting like a child…" Still ranting, she leaned over me to pull the beer away and I could see the dildo outlined clearly by the tight pants. It distracted me so badly that I found myself grabbed by the shirtfront and shaken lightly. "Are you listening to me boy?"

 

"Umm… yessir, sorry sir."

 

"Damn well better be. Spoiled brat, haven't I taught you any common decency at all?"

 

This needed to go to the next level and I knew it. Slowly and teasingly, I placed both hands on Art's strong thighs and stroked those long muscles. "I'm sorry Daddy," I whispered just loud enough for Janet to hear. "I know I've been a shit. I didn't mean it."

 

Art's eyes were warm and loving as she gently kicked my legs off the table and stood there by my knees. "I know that boy, but you are such a pain in the ass. Don't quite know why I put up with you. Maybe I should just throw you out and find me a new boy."

 

Alarm that was only mostly feigned made me sit up and grab the heavy belt. "No sir, please sir." The words fell from my lips, fear of ever losing these wonderful women giving the brief dialogue a power I hadn't expected. Art's breathing deepened as she fell further under the spell of this kinky game. Janet was already panting heavily in her shadowy corner. Suggestively, I traced my fingers over the bulge in Art's pants and fired a coy glance from under my lashes. "Forgive me Daddy?"

 

It took a long moment for Art's upper brain to work its way through the haze of arousal. She reached down to push my hat away and run gentle fingers through my short hair while the other covered my hands and the brute. "I might be persuaded boy, but you better give me a damn good reason."

 

Oh, maybe I should have let the scene play out further, but I was desperate to bring that beast out to play and fumbled with the heavy belt until it clattered noisily to the table. Art chuckled, her voice rumbling low with arousal. Hands shaking, I tugged at the black shirt and pants, leaning forward to press suckling kisses to the scarred flesh.

 

"Good boy," Art panted, still stroking my head and ears. "Show me what a good cocksucker you can be."

 

++Janet++

 

It was extremely titillating and a bit disturbing to see them like this. Oh, I knew this was my beloved puppies playing yet another of their endless games, but it was easy to get drawn into the act. Sam freed the large dildo Art wore and proceeded to get it good and wet. The illusion was complete when Art grabbed the tousled gold locks and moaned along for effect. The hand Sam had slipped under the harness was probably helping. It was impossible to reach the throbbing center of my own need around the bulk of the unborn twins and I was forced to watch and burn. Finally, Art pulled Sam away and dragged the slender woman to her feet by the grip on her hair. "Enough boy, enough. Get on your knees."

 

"Y… yes Daddy."

 

Despite the costume, it was my gentle Art that yanked Sam's belt open and let the loose pants drop. With a quick, almost rough move, Sam was suddenly kneeling on the couch, hands braced on the back of it and moaning loudly. Art's hand was busy between Sam's shaking thighs while the other stroked the length of the pseudo-cock. "Brace yourself boy," she managed to groan while she positioned herself to ravage Sam's willing body. Using the smaller dildo Sam wore as leverage, Art slid home and Sam screamed out her pleasure. "That's it," Art growled in a tone I don't think I'd ever heard from her before. "Tell me you like it."

 

"Yes! Do it Daddy! Do it!"

 

It was hard and fast, Art's grunts lost among Sam's strident cries as they screwed frantically on my sturdy living room furniture. It didn't take long for Sam to start shaking, her sounds taking on that desperate tone that sets the neighborhood dogs to howling. Twisting her head, I saw white teeth latch onto the black collar to muffle the noise. The orgasm ripped through Sam with enough force to leave her limp in Art's strong hands. I could only stare.

 

"Jeez…uz," she murmured quietly and yelped when Art pulled away to smack her across that tight ass.

 

"Watch your mouth boy."

 

"Yes Daddy," Sam sassed back with patented Jack O'Neill sarcasm. Though I doubt that O'Neill had ever been ravished doggy-style over the back of a couch before. Still, one never knew…

 

Tired, but game for more, Sam shifted so that she was sitting back on her heels, facing Art. The baggy pants were still around her ankles, tangled around the sneakers she wore. Art loomed over her, hands braced on the back of the couch, breathing ragged. Sam ran teasing hands over Art's chest, pulling open the uniform shirt to get to the warm flesh beneath. "Please Daddy," she whispered coaxingly, her tone all teasing coyness. "Let me show you I'm sorry. Please."

 

I couldn't see Sam's suckling at Art's body because of the trailing edges of the shirt, but the low noises my dearest spouse was making left little to the imagination. Slowly, Sam squirmed until she was able to duck around Art's legs and sit on the table. The black pants were tugged down and the harness loosened enough for Sam to get at her. Art's eyes were closed as she concentrated on the feelings racing through her nerves. Once Art's pants were around her ankles, Sam knelt with knees splayed on either side of the booted feet. Still murmuring submissive encouragements, Sam went to work on Art's dripping pussy like a starving woman. And as regular as the sun rising in the east, Art began to murmur quietly in Greek, only the occasional phrase coherent to us.

 

Sam hung on for the wild ride while Art's hips jerked and bucked. Far more quickly than I was accustomed to, Art went rigid and made those sexy little noises that accompanied her release. Moaning and shuddering, Art dropped her head between her braced arms and Sam gentled her suckling until calmness settled. Sam moved until she was sitting on the couch again and tugged Art down to straddle her. Playfully, she pressed nipping kisses to the dark skin and purred seductively, "thank you Daddy. I promise to be a good boy from now on."

 

"Liar," Art chuckled and pulled Sam's head back with a hand in the gold hair. "You'll start misbehaving the second you get hard and wet. Isn't that right?"

 

Instantly, Sam was moaning and squirming. "Yes Daddy, but I'll do anything for you, sir… please."

 

"Anything boy?"

 

"Yes, yessir, please sir."

 

"Well, in that case, I believe our company needs some attention. Do as you're told and make me proud, boy."

 

"Yessir."

 

Only then did they acknowledge me, two pairs of burning blue eyes lasering across my body and soul. They both yanked off their pants and shoes, Sam quickly dropping to her knees when she finished.

 

Art stalked over like some great jungle cat to lean over me and I drank in her loving kiss. "Welcome home _ahgahpee mou_ ," she murmured against my lips and I could feel her smile. "How are you and the cubs feeling?"

 

"Mmm… wonderful. This was quite the delightful surprise. Thank you."

 

"Oh, I think me and the 'boy' still have some Christmas spirit left, isn't that right, boy?"

 

"Yessir," Sam sighed from near my feet. Gently, they began to strip me while Art continued the seduction with her deep voice.

 

"Think you can make it over to the comfy spot we set up for you on the dining room table for some TLC?"

 

It took a little maneuvering to get my pregnancy-swollen body positioned, but my strong lovers managed it. Art gave Sam a rough kiss before shoving the taller woman so that she was bent at the waist. "Get in there and earn your keep."

 

There was a muffled 'yessir' as Sam pressed teasing kisses to the inside of my thighs. I watched Art pull a tiny tube from the pocket of her dangling shirt and liberally cover the dildo with lube. By now their teasing was making me whimper and Art smacked Sam hard across her vulnerable ass. The movement made her jerk into me and we both moaned loudly in appreciation.

 

"Quit fucking around, boy."

 

Oh yeah, that was more like it. I wouldn't last long at this rate and we all knew it. Propped up in my nest of cushions, I watched Art's glistening hand teasingly run up the crack of Sam's ass, outlining the imprint of her hand and dropping to press into her dripping sex. But her thumb made Sam squirm and suck even harder at me. Seems Art had found another kinky fetish of Sam's, gently priming that sensitive spot, fingers in Sam's wetness and the dildo teasing her clit. I could barely see what they were doing from my prone position, but I knew Art's body language intimately and could follow along in the dance. My orgasm was rushing at me as I watched and Sam sucked at me with desperate intent. Then Art carefully pressed the toy around her hips home and Sam gave into the invasion with a shuddering moan. That was enough to send me over the edge, the universe gone white around me.

 

I returned to myself to find Sam braced above me, eyes slitted and face contorted into a grimace of pain and pleasure. Crooning softly to her, I trailed gentle fingers over the boyish undershirt to catch and pinch hard nipples. Drenched with sweat, every muscle taut, she was magnificent. "Gently Sam, I want to feel both of you, please…" I begged and she nodded jerkily. There was a pause in the action as Sam carefully positioned herself to slide the small toy she wore into me and I groaned in appreciation of the subtle sensation. Mostly, I just wanted the sense of closeness this act brought me and it didn't disappoint. Every thrust of Art's hips ground Sam into me and drove those depthless azure eyes further towards insanity.

 

Gently, I trailed my fingers up to trace the lines of Sam's face and the gesture seemed to ground her. Her eyes focused and her lips pulled back away from her teeth like an animal. Art's fingers ran through the gold tresses and traced the flushed ears.

 

"C'mon _ahromenee_ ," my dearest love groaned coaxingly and Sam growled. "C'mon…"

 

Art suddenly changed the angle of her thrusting and both our pleasure spiraled higher. Only then did the beast in Sam's eyes finally break through, it swept, howling across her body to drip wet from her mercurial eyes. I traced her soft mouth and the crinkly lines of laughter and stress bracketing the blue. And like a burst balloon, Sam collapsed onto her elbows, head on my chest, Art's strong hands holding her hips up. Broken sobs warmed my skin while she trembled back to herself. Art stared at me, dark eyes wide in shock and worry. My quick head shake reassured her and I held Sam until she calmed.

 

As quickly as the storm hit, it was gone. Sam quivered like a hunted animal and clung to me. "I love you guys," she whispered as though she couldn't quite believe it.

 

"Good," I purred soothingly and continued to pet her hot skin. "Because it's entirely mutual."

 

Art made an affirmative rumble as Sam resettled her feet again. That done, Art could join me in stroking Sam's spent body lovingly. Gradually, Sam allowed us to maneuver her gently to the push and pull I craved from her. She moaned and growled as overstimulated nerves were tortured by our two bodies. The orgasm that finally rippled through me was like a warm bath and I kissed her deeply in appreciation. "Mmm, thank you, Sam love."

 

We remained like that for a long beat, joined by the toys and the heat between us before Sam gently pulled away from me and bent over further.

 

"You ready?" Art asked softly and it took a long moment for Sam to nod. The low moan was evocative as Art slowly pulled out and tugged Sam upright into a powerful hug. "Thank you, Sam. That was beautiful."

 

Sam could only whimper and cling. After long moments, Art pulled away only far enough to strip them both of what clothing remained as well as the harnesses.

 

"Just give me a moment to clean up a bit, just in case we sleep in tomorrow and we get company early," Art chuckled and gave my swollen belly a fond pat. "Then that big, comfy bed sounds damn good about now."

 

Sam stood quietly beside me with one hand wrapped loosely around my knee and I relished the sweet gesture. It was a quick job for Art to gather up their stuff and kick all of our shoes under the coffee table. A bundle of clothes and adult toys were deposited into Sam's arms with another powerful kiss. "Bed _ahromenee_ , we'll be right behind you."

 

Nodding blearily, Sam toddled off in that general direction with a distinctly awkward list to her stride. We grinned after her for a moment before Art leaned over to kiss me. How I loved kissing this woman, she made me utterly believe I was the center of her universe. While we learned one another yet again, she gathered me up into her arms and followed Sam.

 

"So, how was your day?"

 

The blasé question made me laugh and hug her. "Fine, except for having my imagination conjure up all kinds of wicked ideas of what you two might be planning."

 

"Ah hah, then my devious plan worked," Art smirked and I laughed harder. In the bedroom, Sam was sprawled on her stomach, arms and legs akimbo. When she stirred, Art soothed her down gently with her low voice. "Relax Sam, you've had a long day."

 

So Sam went limp again with a sound that was half groan and half whimper. When Art laid me down, Sam wriggled around until she was cushioning my upper body with her lanky frame. Despite her whipcord leanness, Sam was soft in the right places and I snuggled in happily.

 

"What now _ahn-dhras_?" I asked playfully and she grinned.

 

"Since you haven't been able to work much lately, that long shift must have worn you out, _ahgahpee mou._ How about a massage? That'll let Sammy get her second wind. Or is it her third?"

 

"Sounds heavenly."

 

While Art worked the oil into my skin, Sam lazily caressed my scalp and upper body. It was heaven to let their four hands soothe away the perpetual tension that pregnancy had brought into sharp focus. In time, I was in that blissful place of pure sensation and utterly primed for them. Sam shifted to curl along my side and kiss me sweetly. Hunched up against me, she was just barely in a position where I could tuck a curious couple of fingers into the soaked treasure between her legs.

 

"Mmm," I hummed and Sam moaned softly, thrusting against me. "No wonder you're so eager. Amazing that you haven't spontaneously combusted."

 

She was baby smooth again and her skin was feverishly hot. The first shaving had made both of them a bit wild and tonight was more of the same. While I was teasing Sam, Art was leisurely stroking the bulge that contained our growing children. The gesture always relaxed me and made me hot. Once she had me good and ready with both mouth and hands, I gave Sam a firm push down. "Go take care of your Daddy," I purred and managed to not laugh as the pale eyes went smoky. A quick tug at her ear made Sam moan softly. "And no touching yourself either. We'll take care of you in good time."

 

Eagerly, Sam scrambled from the bed and ducked down to fuel Art's growing pleasure. To the chorus of our loving, I was soon pushed over the edge into yet another glorious orgasm. Another wrestling match broke out between my puppies as Art twisted to pounce on Sam. They growled and laughed, the language between them incoherent but surprisingly eloquent. It was Sam that actually managed to pin Art, despite the darker woman's greater mass. They kissed hungrily as their hips rocked together and their passion drove higher. But eventually the teasing grew to be too much and Art urgently tugged at Sam until she got the point and I felt myself grow hot yet again. In one lithe motion, Sam had twisted her body around until they were in a classic sixty-nine. I could hardly wait until I was slim enough to do it again. It was the first time all night that Sam had a mouth on her and was soon screaming from the tender pleasure. Weakly, almost lazily, she suckled until Art trembled and went limp.

 

"Come to bed, my sweets," I coaxed and they blearily complied. Curled tightly along each side of me with their sweaty heads on my shoulders, I felt full to bursting with love for my precious family. "Merry Christmas."

 

**New Traditions and Old**

 

(12-25-99)

 

And to think I still had another month and half of this… Sighing heavily, I awkwardly gathered up the clean laundry and waddled back into the living room. I despised sitting still, but my erratic energy levels had finally gotten me ordered away from the SGC to stay at home. So here I was, alone and bored, my mood quickly degenerating into self-pity.

 

Especially after that show last night! I would definitely have to get those two to give me a repeat performance one day. I was still tingling in all the right places. Sam and Art had taken Cassie to go get a Christmas tree, after I had insisted I would be fine alone for awhile. Company would be over soon enough, but I was still feeling lonely. Cooper trotted over to lay his big head in what little lap I had left. He pressed one sensitive ear up against my swollen belly and I had to wonder if he could hear them. It wouldn't surprise me. So with my hand idly fondling his soft ears, I let my mind drift…

 

The doorbell startled me out of my doze and sent Cooper scrambling for the door. "I'm coming," I muttered irritably and dragged myself after him. Starjumper was there as well, whining eagerly in anticipation.

 

For a long moment I could only stare. I had been expecting the boys, not this free-spirited gypsy with her waterfall of loose, silky black curls and flashing aquamarine eyes. White teeth flashed in an irrepressible grin and I found myself smiling back.

 

"You must be Janet," the young woman said in a delighted alto voice. "Merry Christmas." The wooden case and battered military duffel thumped to the porch and she extended a hand. "I'm Zo Goldston."

 

Of course. There was a definite resemblance, particularly in the engaging smile. When I hadn't responded after a brief, startled moment, she continued on.

 

"I know I should have called, but I wanted to see Art so badly and I couldn't tolerate the idea of spending Christmas away from her after what happened last year. And I wanted to meet you so bad. Hi Cooper, do you remember me?"

 

When I glanced down, Cooper's tail was wagging. A blast of chill air made me shiver and I finally grabbed her hand to pull her inside. "Janet Fraiser, pleased to meet you. Come in and defrost, you look cold."

 

"Oh yeah," she agreed cheerfully. "Don't know how you people stand this weather."

 

Beneath the long coat she wore a loose, wild-print shirt, a long wool skirt and heavy leather boots. The expansive mane of curls barely restrained at the back of her neck fascinated me. Zo rambled on about her flight and her spontaneous visit like she'd always known me. Was this what Art had been like before the Army had shaped her? So unfettered and carefree?

 

"If you'll have me of course."

 

That last statement made me smile. "We'd love to have your company, Zo, come sit."

 

Within an hour, the young woman had thoroughly endeared herself to me. With a steady stream of lively, intelligent conversation she had entertained me. Even better, she had finished folding the laundry, tidied up, made hot chocolate and befriended the pets.

 

++Art++

 

It had taken far longer than I could believe to find 'the perfect tree', and I was tired and cold. But every time crankiness threatened, I would catch Sam eyeing me with that hot, shy stare and the memories would flood over me. No wonder we were useless in helping Cassie decide.

 

"Here! Sam, Art, look at this one!"

 

Cassie's excitement was contagious and the three of us stood around the perfect tree.

 

"Excellent. Now let's take it home!"

 

It took another 20 minutes to get the tree cut, wrapped up and strapped to the roof of the Jeep. By the time we pulled into the driveway, it was nearly noon.

 

"We gotta stop staying up so late," I groaned around a stretch as Cass and Lucky scrambled out of the back of the Jeep.

 

"At least we didn't have to work today," Sam said softly and I glanced over. So I hadn't imagined the faintly hopeful tone in her voice. She was demurely studying her hands, clasped in her lap, and her ears were pink. I couldn't resist reaching over to tweak one of those flushed shells.

 

"I think we both have some energy to burn off, hmmm?"

 

She was so cute when she colored like that. It took only a few cuts to the snug twine and we adults hefted the six foot pine between us. When I entered the house, I heard Janet's laughter floating from the living room. Even as I stepped into the room, I recognized the other voice and froze.

 

++Sam++

 

"Art!"

 

There was a flash of post-modern gypsy clothes, a cloud of wild curls and the lanky woman had pounced on my startled pal who dropped the cut end of the tree to the carpet. After a shocked moment, they were conversing in rapid-fire Greek that left my head spinning. Taller and more finely boned than Art, this stranger could only be the younger sister. The resemblance was obvious in more than just their coloring. She had flashing aquamarine eyes and an incredible waterfall of the familiar inky curls. After a moment, Zo gestured to Janet before firing me an intensely curious glance. Whatever she said in that suggestive tone got her smacked across the shoulder. Laughing, she waved her older sister's comment off and let Art break away only far enough to coil an arm around my waist. Startled by the public display of intimacy, I tensed for a moment even as I was pulled up against her side. "Sam, this is my sister, Zo."

 

The magnetically familiar smile in the almost-familiar face made my heart catch. With my hands still full of my end of the tree, I smiled weakly and Zo chuckled, "pleased to meet you Sam. Hey Art? I think your tree is damaging the carpet."

 

" _Sto-dheeahvalo_! ( _damn_ )" Art muttered and we quickly finished getting the tree into the living room and into the stand. Now overheating in my warm clothes, I stripped down to my t-shirt and watched Art kiss Janet hello.

 

"It's beautiful," Janet sighed happily at the proud pine. "Thank you."

 

Art received a long, lusty kiss that had Cassie rolling her eyes, Zo giggling and me salivating. Once she was let up for air, Art was flushed and distracted. Janet merely smiled enigmatically and Cassie sighed melodramatically. But she went willingly enough to accept to accept a light kiss on the forehead. "Doesn't Sam get one too?" Cassie asked with exaggerated innocence, a distinctly Janet-like twinkle in her eye. Before I could protest, Janet gave me a mischievous grin and crooked a beckoning finger. I never could tell her no and slunk over self-consciously beneath Zo's curious stare.

 

"Thank you, Sam," Janet purred playfully and tugged at my belt until I bent down and accepted her gentle, chaste kiss. Except that the barest tip of her tongue snaked out to brush against my lips in the quickest of teasing gestures. I managed to refrain from jerking my head back in surprise and gave her a glare before standing.

 

"You're welcome," I managed to say calmly despite my embarrassment and burning hormones.

 

"Quit teasing, _ahgape-mou,_ " Art chuckled. "People might talk."

 

Janet pouted, but there was no malice in the exchange and I escaped into the kitchen. In the other room, I could hear the sounds of Art mustering the troops into putting lights up on the tree before the others arrived. I was hot and bothered with no foreseeable relief for a long time. Unless…

 

Poking my head back into the living room, I called out softly, "Janet? I'm going to go grab a shower." She smiled knowingly and I ducked away.

 

I had only been up to the little apartment the Marines had built me long enough to drop a few things off. It was their way of apologizing for what Bob had done to me. Sighing, I let the melancholy feeling be smothered by the amazing love I had found in my two best friends. Despite the understandable wariness of my heart, I adored them to the depths of my soul. And from those warm feelings came the reminder of my jangling need.

 

If the bedroom smelled of fresh paint, then the bathroom reeked of it. Fully a third the size of the three car garage underneath it, this was sheer luxury. A big whirlpool tub and a shower encased in glass beckoned me. Which to use? Bless those Jarheads for catering to this long-ignored need to be pampered. I stripped and savored the dilemma of which way to enjoy a hot soak. The cool air felt exquisite on my oh-so-bare skin and the lack of clothes a sincere relief. I never thought I'd hate the feel of fabric against me. Retrieving soap and shampoo from my duffel bag, I dove under the hot water and sighed in bliss. The Marines had spared me no expense and that included a sixty gallon water heater. Today I planned to find out how long that much liquid would last me.

 

In time, the staccato beat of the water reminded me of other needs than cleanliness. My hands lingered over my breasts where both nipples stood out hard and achy. A pinch and caress made me shudder, that flaming path from chest to groin lighting up like an airport runway, leading my hands ever downward. My exploring touch drifted over midriff and belly, pleased with the firm, pliant muscles beneath my skin. While I didn't get the curvy muscles Art had, the tight sleekness suited my slender frame better. The taut curves of my butt muscles were even better, making me look less like a teenage boy. Skin on skin slick with water, I moaned when the temptation to press against my aching anus became too much. Still tender from the reaming the night before, the sensations skittered across my body like the cascading water. Art in particular was so damn good to me, though I knew Janet would be far more active once the twins were born. They were holding her back strictly with the bulk of their physical presence.

 

Curious fingers smoothed over my shaven pubes, still fascinated by the delicate softness of the skin so long hidden. It was an intense, intoxicating sensation, every touch amplified a thousandfold. The tickle of water sneaking over those sensitive areas was almost as arousing as my fingertips. With little preamble, I slipped inside and pressed my thumb to my aching clit. There was something thrilling about my predictable touch. At this moment the entire SGC could have been watching and I wouldn't have cared. I needed relief so bad…

 

It was upon me like a flash flood, my cries dampened by the internal soldier warning, 'danger, be quiet.' Cassie and Zo certainly didn't need to know what I was doing up here. Panting with exertion, I stood quietly with my fingers still in and around my sensitive sex. Arousal still chimed across my nerves, but I was at the point where further stimulation would be painful. I needed a talented mouth desperately and frustration made me groan.

 

I wasn't certain what caught my eye, but I yelped in alarm, jumping back into the shower wall defensively, adrenaline flooding my system. How long had she been standing there? Deep blue eyes burned with hunger and my racing heart picked up the beat of her need.

 

Yanking open the shower door, Art stepped in, uncaring that she was still fully clothed and water was spattering all over the bathroom. Deadly serious in her need, she ducked her head to capture the slick fingers I had raised defensively at her unexpected presence. I very nearly passed out at the hot, wet caress of her mouth and tongue over my sensitive digits. Slowly, she increased the pressure of her sucking until my legs began to shake. Once I was nearly hyperventilating, Art dropped soundlessly to her knees in the scattered spray of the shower. A tug at my hips had her mouth deep in the burning softness between my legs and I was in heaven. Head thrown back in ecstasy, fingers deep in her curls, I cried out wantonly and to hell with anybody hearing me.

 

A second orgasm swept over me, but Art was unmerciful and slipped a thick bundle of fingers deep inside to help coax me up that incline once more. I screamed willingly for her, helpless against the loving onslaught.

 

Boneless with completion, I slumped over to be expertly draped over Art's shoulders in a fireman's carry. Smacking the taps closed and snatching a towel from the rack, she carried me into the bedroom. There she unceremoniously tossed me onto the bed like a sack of potatoes and I giggled madly. She was feral with need now, lips pulled back from her teeth in a smile that was a snarl. Delirious with pleasure, I whispered, "strip, please Art, please."

 

I enjoyed watching her familiar body emerge from the water-spattered clothes. Once naked, she obeyed my tug at her leg and knelt over me. I knew even before I dipped into her dripping wet that she was good and ready. So I settled in for a long Christmas snack.

 

**We Wish You A Merry Christmas**

 

++Zo++

 

Sounded like Sam was a screamer. Cassandra was either oblivious or ignoring the high-pitched caterwauling that had the Shepherds whining in sympathy. I couldn't resist flashing Janet a wicked grin and she ducked her eyes away with a blush. A delighted cackle echoed up from my chest and Cassandra looked at me like I was a little off. "What?"

 

"Your cat," I bullshitted innocently and gestured to where the tiny kitty was inspecting my case of art supplies. "I'll have to paint her, just like that."

 

"You paint?"

 

"Yep, and I'm damn good at it too." Okay, the expletive earned me a maternal glower from Janet and I reined in the most extreme of my enthusiasm. "I never really go anywhere without at least my basic supplies. Here, I'll show you some sketches."

 

"Cool," Cassandra enthused and we sprawled out onto the floor to inspect my drawings. Not all of them would be become paintings. Truthfully, very few of them would, but I liked to keep my grasp of form and function fluid with pencil and charcoal. When some pals of Janet's arrived, I recognized their names and within minutes I had Emily and Karen drawn into the demonstration.

 

"Look! Look K'ryn! Is mommy!" Emily crowed as the lines of graphite made by my hand began to take shape. She squealed in delight as I handed her the sketch and she toddled over to Darya to show it off. There was something about the green-eyed woman that tugged at me. My empathetic abilities keyed into her almost in a territorial way, predators unsure of what to make of each other. It was nothing that serious, but my imagination and the heightened emotions around me were making me a little lizard-brained. That, and the somewhat squicky knowledge that my sister was ravaging the more desperate of her womenfolk upstairs. I could almost taste Sam's need like the sweet charcoal aroma of a bonfire.

 

"There's somebody here," I murmured softly and Cassandra looked at me oddly as I took a wild guess as to their identities. "Packmates?"

 

Darya felt it too; I could see it in the shocked gaze she shared with me. I'd never met another who could sense others the way I could. On cue, there was a heavy thump at the front door and a middle-aged man stumbled in, laden down with bags of stuff. "Uncle Jack," Cassandra yelled and galloped over to help him with the packages.

 

"Hey Cassie, Merry Christmas. You ready for some serious spoilin'?"

 

Behind him was a good-looking woman bearing a box and a warm grin, shadowed by an enormous bear of a black man that moved like a panther. Following was a handsome fellow in glasses that smiled, and a pretty young man with a waterfall of dreads worthy of admiration. When the latter's dark eyes flickered over, I grinned and he willingly returned the expression.

 

This might be entertaining.

 

++Teal'c++

 

I had been listening to them concoct insulting or whimsical twists of their names for the better part of our holiday afternoon. 'Art deco', 'Jack of all trades', 'I never understood Art', 'Jack in the box', 'Artful dodger', 'Jackalope', 'Art and soul', 'Black jack'; had all been traded. Little of it made sense to me and it appeared as though Daniel Jackson was having the same difficulty. Both Sergeant Goldston and O'Neill were doing their best to stare one another down while not giving into their amusement. Sarah O'Neill, Doctor Fraiser and Captain Taylor had silently witnessed the entire exchange as well. Doctor Farazell and Zo Goldston had taken the children outside when it appeared as though the verbal exercise had become subject matter they should not be exposed to. An indulgent expression crossed Doctor Fraiser's features and I resisted the urge to smile in return. Pregnancy had given her a feral edge that made her both appealing and dangerous.

 

"You gonna jump in Carter?" O'Neill taunted and she anxiously waved him off. Goldston chuckled and grinned challengingly at O'Neill while his mate leaned into his side.

 

"Chicken?" Goldston taunted and was rewarded with Carter's pink tongue stuck out at her.

 

"Oh, I dunno," O'Neill mused with feigned nonchalance. "But maybe we should change the subject."

 

"Yeah, I think we've jacked her up enough."

 

The gleam in O'Neill's eye grew predatory once again as Jackson groaned softly. It appeared that I was the only person to take note of the gleam of perverse amusement in Fraiser's carefully neutral expression as she surveyed the others. "Oh I don't know," she said with soothing calm. "You could always just put in a new Christmas carols CD, Art."

 

"CD?" Goldston echoed in puzzlement. The gleam deepened even as her expression never changed.

 

"Sure. You know what they say, music soothes the Samage beast."

 

It was delivered with the precision of a surgical strike and with such expertise as to warm my heart. With a droll quirk of a dark brow, Frasier calmly returned to her cup as the others could only stare. Despite myself, I smiled in appreciation of her well earned victory.

 

"Wow," O'Neill breathed after long moments. "If I leave Art on some planet somewhere, can I have you?"

 

"No," Fraiser replied dryly and we all braced ourselves. "But I'm sure the thought will make great jack off material."

 

As one, the Tau'ri stared in shock until I was barely capable of restraining my amusement. Sarah O'Neill began making strangled sounds of amusement only moments before Doctor Farazell did.

 

"Ouch," Goldston winced under her breath and Fraiser smiled sweetly at the stunned O'Neill. Or to be more precise, showed her teeth. In an instant, her expression had morphed into a childish pout and Fraiser gestured at all of us with her cup.

 

"At least all of you can drink for inspiration."

 

That petulant complaint made Goldston scramble over to kiss her lovingly, one dark hand resting on the swell of the unborn children. It had the desired effect as the small woman was once again smiling.

 

"Doctor Fraiser," I intoned respectfully and the married couple looked over to me. "I do believe that Daniel Jackson has been excluded from this verbal exercise."

 

There was a start of shock to my left and his pale eyes grew round in horror. The predatory smile returned to Fraiser's face and Art sat down carefully beside her. I was unable to tell if my teammate was upset or amused. Perhaps both? Long, breathless moments passed before Fraiser's eyes focused once more. In that same dry tone, she delivered what was certain to be the final salvo in this engagement. "With three doctors in the room, I'm surprised that the Colonel hasn't said 'Dammit' yet."

 

The breathless silence deepened, at least a dozen ears trained on her reply. I did not understand and my expression said as much. That grin returned again and she explained in a silky, dangerous tone. "You see Teal'c, it's a play on words. Daniel, Sam, Janet. Dammit."

 

"Ah, by combining fragments of your names, you were able to produce a Tau'ri expletive. I salute your effort Doctor Fraiser."

 

She nodded regally, a subtle echo of my own body language that only deepened my humor.

 

"I surrender," O'Neill said meekly and the others could only stare. Before anyone could recover from the decisive blow and muster return fire, the doorbell chimed through the house.

 

++Hammond++

 

Carter's surprised and delighted smile was worth the trip to the new Fraiser household. "Sir," she spluttered and I smiled warmly.

 

"I come bearing gifts."

 

"Peasants?" Squealed through the house as Emily came toddling over to collapse breathlessly against Carter's leg. "Peasants?" She lisped again and I grinned widely. Stepping past Carter, I crouched to flirt with the wide-eyed child.

 

"Merry Christmas Emily. Since you liked your teddy bear so much on your birthday," with a dramatic pause, I brought out her gift from behind my back. "I brought a little sister."

 

Her delight was a palatable thing as she squealed again and pounced on the blonde teddy with its white tummy and soulful glass eyes. Clutching it close, Emily went off to babble excitedly at her mother. "Look! Look, mommy!"

 

"It's pretty. Are you going to tell grampa George thank you?" Darya said patiently in the other room while I pulled the open door out of Carter's hand and she smiled vaguely at me. It closed with a click on the cold weather as Emily's voice bellowed out from the depths of the house.

 

"Sank you, gampa George!"

 

Laughter echoed out through the Christmas afternoon. In the living room, I spotted my original quarry and she lit up with delight at my mischievous expression. "Tickle face," Emily giggled and laughter rang out once more. Rather than tickle Janet as my expression implied, I merely bent over to press a kiss to her forehead and to hell with protocol.

 

"Merry Christmas."

 

"Thank you… grampa George," she teased lightly and was distracted by the wine bottle in my hands. Then she realized what it was and her expression crumpled in disappointment. I knew she couldn't drink, and Goldston's glare nearly fried a hole in the side of my head.

 

"Yes, it's for you. But take a close look at the bottle." After a moment, both women looked up at me and I was struck again by what beautiful children the twins were going to be. "It's an import my daughter recommended to me. She loved it when she was pregnant through Christmas, years ago."

 

It was a non-alcoholic mulled wine from France. While prohibitively expensive, it was well worth the look on Janet's face. A wineglass and cork puller magically appeared at my right shoulder in a familiar hand and I flashed Karen a grateful look. A couple of quick maneuvers and Janet was blissfully happy with a glass of wine that she could actually drink and enjoy.

 

++Jack++

 

I couldn't believe how good it felt to have Sarah back in my life. Especially around the holidays like this, with kids and friends surrounding us and taking off the edge of pain that had driven us apart for too long. When Charlie had died… part of us had died too. I'd been too much of a bastard to be there for her and was determined to make up for it now. She'd taken the bits and pieces we'd been authorized to tell her about the SGC in stride. When she nuzzled into my collar, I smiled down at my wife and was ever so grateful that we had never given up on one another completely. Separated was easier to walk away from than divorced.

 

"They're awfully cute," Sarah chuckled and I looked confused. "Look familiar?"

 

Following her gesture, I saw Art leaning over Fraiser and swapping sweet kisses. "If they were any cuter, they'd be nauseating," I agreed and Sarah chuckled.

 

"Look!" Emily suddenly crowed from where she was sprawled on the floor by the couch. "Bockers! Like Kryn!"

 

All us grownups laughed at the pair of gaudy holiday boxer shorts clenched in her little fists.

 

"Those are a little small for me honey," Karen deadpanned and flashed Cass a wicked glance. "You bringin' company home?" Cass looked shocked and the Doc fired a murderously maternal glower that made the big woman visibly flinch. "Sorry Doc. Cassandra. That was inappropriate. Ignore me. What'd you put in this eggnog anyway Goldston?"

 

Flushed and in danger of her life, Karen slunk off to hide behind Darya. Having thoroughly intimidated a combat veteran twice her size, Janet calmed and grinned at the embarrassed Cassie.

 

"I wouldn't dare," the teen mumbled and we all laughed.

 

"Sanna an' deer an' snow," Emily sing-songed happily as she examined the bright cloth. I caught the glance flashed between Sam and Art, one laced with embarrassment and one with amusement. Finally Sam jumped to her feet and knelt beside the child.

 

"They're mine. Can I have them back?"

 

Emily gave Sam a long look of skepticism and disbelief. Dressed as Sam was, in a colorful, body-hugging sweater and skirt, I hardly blamed her.

 

"Boxers certainly don't fit the image," I drawled and received an embarrassed glare. God, she was easy to rib.

 

"I must have folded my laundry down here and dropped them."

 

Art snorted in amusement and commented, "boxers can be comfy. At least when wearing pants. They definitely wouldn't work in that skirt." Sam's blush deepened and Emily sighed melodramatically before handing over the shorts in question. "Now you can add 'em back into the collection."

 

"That's my women," Janet chortled delightedly. "A couple of bad clichés."

 

There was an odd lull in the room as Janet looked as though she wanted to swallow her tongue. An unreadable expression ghosted across Art's face and Sam went pale. That comment could be taken in ways that might threaten Sam's career.

 

"Do someone's laundry and you get to know a person," Art shrugged nonchalantly. "And there're very few presences left in this house. Momma Doc here." Janet squeaked from the tight hug bestowed on her. "Is territorial. Heaven help anyone who tries to entice Sam out of the pack."

 

Both Sam and Janet were flustered now and Emily scrambled up to hug the former. "No tease. Bad unca Art. Bad."

 

It was just too funny and any unanswered curiosity fled in the face of Emily's excellent comedic timing.

 

++Zo++

 

It had been a wonderful day, joyous and happy. Art's friends had been good company despite the air of secrecy that hung over them. I had been shocked at Art's reaction to my teasing this morning about Sam. She bristled and then winced, and then grew loving and protective of the tall woman. Throughout the course of the day I had watched the three of them and Cassie. The adoration flowing throughout the family was like warm summer sun, impossible to miss. They all touched and smiled and showed the obvious love among them.

 

No one so much as batted an eye over it. By hiding the true depth of the relationship in plain sight, Art, Sam and Janet were kept safe from idiotic, archaic rules. I was so proud of them.

 

Janet had wished me a goodnight with a warm kiss on my forehead and wandered off with Sam playing spotter. That left me to find my sister. She was in the backyard, sprawled out in the secretive grove of trees in the back of the property. It was bitterly cold in the deep snow and I shivered my way over to her. With no comment Art flipped open the heavy sleeping bag and I clambered in beside her. It was warm and cozy as we cuddled like kids and watched our breath turn white in the cold. "What are you looking at?" I had to ask quietly. Her expression was serene and I was calmed in turn.

 

" _ta ahstehria_. ( _the stars._ )

 

"Oh?"

 

"I've grown fascinated with them."

 

"Why?"

 

A melancholy smile softened Art's face and I was sadly reminded of those first days after we had lost mom and dad. Many a long night we would curl up together against the chill of loneliness. "It's comforting to have something be so constant, I guess."

 

"I never thought of it that way. Sort of like having someone watch over you."

 

"Yeah, sort of like that."

 

A long time passed in comfortable quiet as I soaked up the often-missed presence of my adored sister. In time I nudged her lightly. "I really like your family. All of them. You're really lucky."

 

"The luckiest," Art breathed with a sappily devoted smile that warmed my heart.

 

++Sam++

 

As much as I adored my friends, I was ever so glad to get the last of them out of the house. Even Cass had left, off to watch too much TV with her uncle Daniel, no doubt. Art had shooed Janet upstairs some time ago and left me to lock up. Cleaning up would wait until tomorrow. So I scooped up little Jaffa and took a quick peek into Quark and Quasar's cage to ensure that their food and water was okay. They came out to say hello, trade sniffs with Jaffa and lick my fingers through the bars. "Merry Christmas," I chuckled and they returned to their plastic igloo to dream rattie dreams. Talking softly to the sleepy kitty, I climbed upstairs and quietly slipped into the master bedroom. A pair of candles threw warmth and shadow over the two figures on the bed, Janet's small, swollen body with Art wrapped carefully around her. As always, they were beautiful together and my heart swelled with adoration. Lucky had been allowed into the room this night and I patted her affectionately when her head came up to acknowledge me. When I looked up, I was startled to see both pairs of warm eyes watching me.

 

"Hey," Janet murmured and stretched. "C'mere sweetie. This bed isn't crowded enough."

 

Tired, but happy, I yanked off my clothes while they rearranged themselves underneath the covers. Ecstatic shivers thrilled up my spine as I cuddled up to Janet's warmth and felt Art's hand reach out to curl into my hair. "We have something for you _ahromenee_ ," Art purred and I felt something small and hard in her palm as it pressed lightly against my scalp. "We want you to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt that we adore you and we need you, not just for today or tomorrow but forever."

 

A strange sensation in my gut felt almost like panic, coupled with a swell of love that was suffocating. When Janet moved Art's hand and opened the curled fingers, something glittered there, blurry from my tears. "This is from both of us," Janet explained quietly. "It's three strands of colored gold woven together, just like us."

 

It was a simple ring, elegant with its wire-like weaving of gold in yellow, rose and a pale blue. And it meant more to me than they could ever know.


	19. Y2K

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins freak out their parents, Jacob learns more about his beloved daughter and the holidays are fun all around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: NC-17
> 
> Pairings: Janet, Art and Sam.

++ Janet++

 

(12-28-99)

 

"This seems so ridiculous," I complained at Siler and he just grinned at me. Even my sorry, pregnant butt had been drafted in to ensure that the base was 2000 compliant. Between the Y2K scare and the entire population of Earth gearing up for the millennium celebration, we wanted to make sure nothing was going to go wrong. Every team was Earth-side and helping with the upgrade. So far I was merely babysitting Siler's radio as he coordinated with those sharing his techheadedness. Art had wisely volunteered to help Karen and leave Sam in Daniel's capable and non-distracting hands. 

 

"Can I have the welding torch?"

 

Bored, I grabbed the tool and started to hand it over.

 

Only to freeze in mid-motion.

 

There was a roar of blood in my ears and everything seemed to slow down eerily. Siler's eyes met mine even as the ripple of pressure washed over me again. His eyes widened in counterpoint to my own as I groaned softly. Not pain exactly, but a weird squeeze deep inside like a drawn out muscle spasm that gripped my entire torso.

 

"Fuck," Siler squeaked in alarm and dove for the phone even as he grabbed one of my hands. "Get a gurney and Warner up here." A gasp escaped me in the pause and his eyes grew even wilder. "Because Fraiser looks like she's going into labor, that's why!"

 

Once more the bizarre sensation washed over me as Siler knelt by my knees and patted my wrist awkwardly. "They'll be here in a sec. Just relax."

 

Breathless laughter escaped me even as members of my staff rushed in to do their jobs.

 

++Art++

 

Oh, some rational corner of my mind knew I was over reacting. "Betty!" I wailed childishly. "You scared the shit out of me!"

 

"I know, I know," she soothed with hands raised. "I'm really sorry Sergeant, I didn't think about how I was phrasing the call to you. She's fine; the labor was a false alarm. The twins are healthy and unstressed. Come see them."

 

The blonde nurse grabbed my shirtfront to haul me into one of the exam rooms and shove me over to the bed where my wife lay napping. 

 

"I'll let you two have some privacy," Betty murmured softly and withdrew. 

 

"Hey baby," I crooned as I sat on the stool and brushed back an errant strand of auburn hair. "You sleeping on the job?"

 

Yawning hugely, Janet stirred and flashed me a sleepy smile and warm brown eyes. "Hi ya sexy. You look freaked, c'mere." That was all the incentive I needed to lean over the bed and wrap her up in a hug as best I could. "They gave me some drugs to stop the contractions, it's too soon for them, as much as I might want to be skinny again." We laughed quietly together before relaxing into the embrace.

 

"I love you _aghapee mou_ ," I soothed. "But you're not done cooking yet."

 

"Guess not, huh? Is there any way they'll let you take me home?"

 

"No, dammit, probably not, I'm sorry love, there's just too much to do. Can you sleep, or do I need to send Sam in? As far as I know, she's uninformed so far. I didn't want to mess up her concentration."

 

"You should tell her, _ahn-dhras_ ( _husband_ ), before she finds out from someone else."

 

"You're right," I agreed and kissed her slow and deep. As always she groaned deep in her throat and clung to me. How I adored her and loved showing her exactly how much. "Sleep now. I'll be back soon enough."

 

Janet hummed wordlessly and by degrees her grip on my hand loosened until she was again asleep. I kissed her softly on the forehead and slipped away.

 

++Jacob++

 

By the looks on everybody's faces as I stepped through the Stargate, no one had been informed of my arrival. Bet Sam was eyebrow deep in some project again. "Jacob," George bellowed cheerfully through the PA system and the guards lowered their weapons. "This is a pleasant surprise."

 

I waited at the bottom of the ramp until George strode in with a smile. "I'll take it that Sam forgot to mention my coming by to visit her and her brother?"

 

"Why yes. That must be why she requested a few days off. We've been working around the clock to ensure that the base is Y2K compliant, but since you're here, I'm sure something can be worked out."

 

"Y2K? Guess I've been away too long," I chuckled and followed my old friend deep into the bowels of the SGC. We chattered about work and family until eventually coming to the main computer bay where a crowd of uniformed personnel looked expectantly to us. The ripple of movement and the deadening of all conversations finally got my daughter's blonde head to pop up from behind a bank of hardware. 

 

"Dad," she called out and smiled in delight, the expression echoed by Daniel.

 

"You forgot I was coming, didn't you?" I admonished fondly and she scrambled over for a hug.

 

"I'm sorry, just got caught up in… things. Y'know how it is."

 

"I know Sam. George is pretty certain he can he still get you a few days to see Mark." Something in her familiar features made me pause and study her more closely. "Are you okay?"

 

"Sure dad," Sam hedged and ducked her gaze. I knew perfectly well when she was avoiding an issue, the same way she'd always done it, but this was neither the time nor place. "Let me see if I can wrap this up, it shouldn't be too long, and I'll be right with you."

 

"Sure. I need to change clothes anyway."

 

A last squeeze and Sam dove back behind the machinery to finish whatever unfathomable task she was set on. George and I exchanged amused glances as we walked out. "She's extraordinary," my old friend mused softly and I had to grin.

 

"That she is."

 

++Sam++

 

It wasn't easy to return to my task, but I forced myself to concentrate. In time, I was lost amid the push and pull of my knowledge versus the workings of the extremely sophisticated computer system. Then suddenly, the playing field was clear and I sighed in quiet pride. "Just a diagnostic," I chortled half to myself and half to Daniel. "And that's it."

 

"Great job sexy," purred a different voice than I had been expecting and in made me jump in pleasant surprise. Art's blue eyes glittered above her familiar smile as she leaned in behind the rack of computer hardware. Before I could do more than squeak in surprise and pleasure, she had pressed into my personal space and thumped my skull into the machinery with a forceful kiss. It was as quick as it was enjoyable, leaving me blinking in a hormone daze. "No cameras back here and no one's paying attention. Janet went into false labor and she's fine." All of that was said in a calm, low tone and took a few long moments to sink in. Despite the reassurances, panic welled up as the words registered and Art grabbed my upper arms in a strong grip. "She's fine Sam, so are the twins. Right now she's sleeping and I ran into your dad in the hall. You need a shower and then we'll go talk to him. It's our four hours, but time's almost up and that's why I came by to retrieve you."

 

"Oh… okay," I stammered and felt the fear subside. If Art was this calm, then everything must be okay. 

 

One hurried shower and a change of clothes later; we were skulking into Janet's room. When she looked up to see us, she smiled beatifically and only then did the constriction around my heart finally ease. "You're supposed to be resting," Art admonished fondly as Janet shooed Betty out.

 

"I only just woke up. Sam, love, come here."

 

With a tired sigh that was as much a sob, I flopped onto the bed and draped myself half over her small body. "I was worried."

 

"I know baby, I know."

 

After a bare minimum of reassurances, the three of us regrouped to head home. Only to run into my dad in the hall. Crap, I'd forgotten he was here! Art cut in smoothly, leaving Janet in my hands. "So, you're coming over for dinner right?"

 

"Of course. It's already close to that time and I'd like to see Cassie."

 

"Great," Art enthused and then there was a short, heavy pause. Someone that didn't know her as intimately as I could have missed it completely. "Do you have a place to stay?"

 

It was then that I knew I would be sleeping alone tonight and the thought horrified me.

 

++Janet++

 

Damn. With Jacob Carter in the house, we were going to have to play the 'just friends' game with Sam. The thought horrified me, and subtle tension played around Art's jaw. Poor Sam looked like she might cry, even as she swallowed it and helped me sit up. In the car, Art continued to chat with Jacob where he sat in the backseat with Sam. "Cooper will be jazzed to see you Jacob."

 

"Likewise. I can't wait to see the new house."

 

"Good, because here we are."

 

Even under the blanket of snow, it was obvious we'd done a ton of work on the yards. Thank God for evergreens to keep some shape and color to the property. Jacob made some approving comments as we piled out of the car. Art helped me, stealing a quick kiss once I was steady. The drugs had left me feeling a little loopy and weary, so I sagged against my _ahn-dhras_ for support.

 

"Food and sleep, _ahgahpee mou._ I'll take care of it. Sam, can you give Janet a hand upstairs?"

 

"Sure. C'mon mom."

 

I couldn't help but smile at Sam's teasing and willingly went to her embrace. As we climbed the stairs, Art and Jacob's conversation slowly fell away. "Guess Cass must be out walking Cooper. Would you like something to drink Jacob?"

 

"Do you have any coke? I miss it."

 

"You're in luck; Cass always keeps a couple six-packs around."

 

In the privacy of the bedroom, I silently tugged Sam down to be cuddled on the big bed. "I don't want to be away from you," Sam finally murmured in my ear. Tears were painting both of our faces now.

 

"Neither do I sweetie, but your dad is so rarely here."

 

"I know, but this is so new and I don't want to be away."

 

"We'll be here when you come home, ready to spoil you for New Years." Sobbing and giggling, Sam shifted to kiss me, slow and deep. She'd been a good kisser from first touch, but practice had made her great at the skill. Mouths locked, tongues intertwined, we were lost for long minutes, only my groan breaking us up. "Mmmm… you've gotten so good at that."

 

"Good teachers. Can you sleep?"

 

A mocking glare made Sam grin and dried up her lingering tears. "No thanks to you."

 

"I'll make it up to you."

 

"I'll hold you to that, love."

 

Sam lay with me and stroked my belly and face until warm darkness closed in around me.

 

++Art++

 

(12-28-99)

 

Jacob and I had been up far too late talking. About Sam and the Tok'ra and whatever else came to mind. He was an interesting man with a thousand stories to tell. I could see by his sometimes abrupt manner what had kept he and Sam separated for so long. When Sam had never reappeared, I had joked that she'd probably fallen asleep watching over Janet. Jacob had chuckled along and my nerves had eased. Eased enough that when I had sent him off to the guest room and went to my women, I hadn't bothered to wake Sam and send her away. I couldn't bear it. So my morning was much more pleasant than I had expected, even when Jacob had scared the three of us half to death knocking on the door.

 

"Rise and shine troops. Breakfast is waiting."

 

I tightened my grip on Sam's tense body when she would have panicked. "We'll be out in a minute. Looks like Sam's got a crick in her neck."

 

"Okay. I'll go retrieve Cassie."

 

"'Kay."

 

That obligation taken care of, I tucked Sam under my body to be kissed good and proper. Soon she was writhing and moaning with abandonment and I pulled back only far enough to meet her dilated eyes. "I'm gonna go see your dad now. You are gonna shower quick and go visit him and your brother." Another long kiss nearly derailed my train of thought. "When you come home on New Year's Eve, I am going to ravage you senseless and make this little vacation worth every minute of being away from us. You got that?" Eyes wide, Sam nodded and exchanged gentle kisses with me. Those tender gestures calmed us both until I could finally climb from the bed and get ready to say goodbye.

 

"G'morning!" Cassie crowed at me as I wandered into the kitchen in search of whatever smelled so good. Lucky shoved past my knees to playfully thump into Cooper. They mockingly showed teeth and nipped at each other. It was like watching teenagers flirt.

 

"Good morning. Something smells good."

 

++Jacob++

 

Like any good soldier, Sam materialized at the breakfast table, showered, dressed and ready to go. "Less than six minutes, good time," I teased and she forced a smile. My poor baby looked nervous and queasy. I could only guess that it was nerves about the trip and perhaps the company. Ah well, I could only try to be a good companion.

 

"'Mornin' Sam," Cassie yawned in between bites of French toast. "Me and Art are gonna take you guys to the airport, 'kay?"

 

"'Kay," Sam murmured and smiled warmly this time when I set a plate in front of her. I was struck by the picture the three of them made. Sam, eating her food neatly and precisely, fired a grin at Art. The dark woman was attacking her plate with the enthusiasm of the starving while Cassie just shoveled hers in mechanically. The girl was barely awake at this hour.

 

"Jeez Art, it's not gonna run away," Cassie commented dryly and Art growled like an annoyed dog to make her companions laugh. The warm family scene made me think of the good times from a life long past. How much Sam reminded me of my beloved Elizabeth. How much I still missed her.

 

My musings were cut off by the girls finishing up and I was forced to rush through the last of my own meal. Art vanished for a moment while Sam got Cassie into warm clothes, and then came scampering down the stairs. "Janet's still out like a light. Do you have your school stuff Cass?"

 

"Yep."

 

"Great. Let's do this."

 

"You make it sound like a military maneuver," Cassie mocked and Art looped an arm around her neck as we all chuckled.

 

"Oh, hardy har. See ya Cooper, Lucky, come."

 

Art opened the door to let the frigid, early morning cold whip across us.

 

"Yikes," I groused good-naturedly. Sam hesitated and Art looped the other arm around her neck to drag her into the dry, blown snow. 

 

"C'mon Samage, you get to enjoy warmer California temperatures for a few days. Cooper, Lucky, car."

 

We piled into the big Dodge SUV that Janet had been giggling about yesterday. It had been a family Christmas present, spacious, sturdy, four-wheel drive and a great investment for a growing family that had to deal with some serious weather. There was room for everybody, Sam and dogs included. They might even be able to squeeze in an extra passenger or two.

 

Art clipped Lucky's harness into a hook beside the front bench seat and slid behind the wheel. Only to sit there until the quiet in the car became uncomfortable.

 

"This is some car," I spoke gently and Art smiled weakly. She carefully loosened her deathgrip on the wheel and turned the key in the ignition.

 

"Yeah, I just hate driving. It'll be okay." Art might sound brave, but something was seriously bothering her. Sam leaned forward to touch Art's shoulder, the pale fingers caressing over the jacket collar and into inky curls. Immediately, Art relaxed and leaned her head forward for a long moment. Then, just like that, we were on our way. The heavy quiet in the SUV left me to my thoughts.

 

Was I seeing what I thought I was seeing? They were so gentle, yet playful together, with an intimacy that was almost… almost too much. That caress into Art's hair, the way her head had lulled so trustingly…

 

A long buried memory surfaced. Sam, a gawky teenager not quite grown into herself and still desperately missing her mother. Painfully shy and intimidatingly smart, she was so lonely it hurt to watch. The name came to me unbidden and unwanted.

 

Ainsley.

 

The pretty, vivacious cheerleader had befriended my Sam and I was grateful. Far too full of my own pain over losing Elizabeth, I was a failure to my children. Mark retreated into sports and academics, shutting his sister and I out of his heart and eventually out of his life. Sam was lost and helpless until the cheerleading squad took her in. Even in those dark days, listening to Ainsley fondly tease Sam about being such a klutz made me smile.

 

My Sam was a lousy liar. Even now, at thirty-three years old with fifteen years of military service under her belt, I could still read her like a book. I had seen the change in her relationship with Ainsley all those years ago, but had never put a name to it, never acknowledged what I knew had happened between them. When the opportunity arose to transfer, I couldn't jump on it fast enough. Maybe by taking Sam away from that girl, I could stop the inevitable. Maybe by leaving that house, we could heal.

 

It was the last straw for Sam and I. She became a stranger to me and I couldn't find a way to bridge the gap.

 

My baby was gone the night before her eighteenth birthday. No note, no forwarding address, her things left behind. There was some bittersweet pleasure when I found out that she joined the Air Force, but I knew that decision had nothing to do with me. The strength of her intellectual skills and her strong ethics were a perfect match. I had never understood my daughter, utterly confounded by her raw intellect and sharp mind.

 

But Elizabeth had.

 

She had always understood Sam, challenged her, and supported her. I was just along for the ride. When Elizabeth died, Sam had never really recovered, far too bewildered at the loss of her strength and bedrock. When she looked to me to take that role, I was inadequate. So she retreated into herself. 

 

Until Ainsley.

 

My gaze drifted over to Art's face, lit softly by the dashboard and the rising dawn. I thought about Janet, her warmth to everyone she encountered and her strong bond with Sam. Art had modified that bond, taking on the role of champion and protector of Sam's wounded heart. 

 

As her mother had.

 

As Ainsley had.

 

It was a thunderbolt. As much as part of me knew this was coming, I was still shocked stupid.

 

'Why worry so?' Selmack questioned me softly.

 

'You know what kind of regulations this breaks! You know how dangerous this is!' I railed internally at my symbiote and forced my eyes to return to the road.

 

'Yes. But better this woman who adores her so, than a relationship that would cause her further pain.'

 

I was torn between Selmack's calm truth and my own raging fears.

 

'You like Art.'

 

It was true, I had liked the young woman from the moment I met her. Warm, loyal and funny, she made my wounded Sam whole in a way no one else ever had. Not even her mother. With Art's adoration, Janet's great strength of character and Cassie's unfettered love, how could Sam resist?

 

'Isn't that enough?'

 

++Sam++

 

(12-30-99)

 

Mark and his family looked great and I had fun horsing around with my niece and nephew… but I was so ready to get home. Something was gnawing at my dad, and I was dreading the conversation I suspected was headed my way. So here I was, dying to get home and fearing the trip that would accomplish just that.

 

Eventually, I was at the airport, wrapped in a bear hug from my brother, sorry to be leaving him yet again. "Take care of yourself, Sam," Mark whispered and I nodded around the lump in my throat.

 

It wasn't until we were comfortably settled into a back booth in a bar in Phoenix that any kind of real conversation was instigated. Ironically, by me. Jacob Carter was never one to fidget, but was he was as nervous as a new father. "Dad," I asked wearily. "Is there something you'd like to ask me? The longer we dance around this, the more time we lose."

 

It wasn't often I caught him so completely off guard, but his expression was priceless. "Well… ah," he hedged uncomfortably and I forced myself to wait patiently and ensure that we were on the same page. "You seemed pretty… cozy with Art and Janet back there. Just… you know what it looks like, right?"

 

Here it was. Here was my big choice. Honesty… or safety. It galled me in a deep, deep way that I was forced into this kind of quandary. Condemned by my military family for the loving family I had chosen. Like a pair of great, gleaming scales, my choice loomed for an endless moment.

 

Hell, my silence was probably more damning than words.

 

In the end, I really had no other route. When it all boiled down, he was my father first. Scrubbing at my face, I spoke quietly, "yeah, home is the only place where I can be open with them. It's weird sometimes, being with both of them, but it makes for a really solid support structure for all three of us, and Cassie too."

 

The look on his face was priceless. Absolute shock mixed with something that might have actually been… relief?

 

The silence stretched out and I flagged down a waitress. "Could I get a pair of MGDs?"

 

"Sure thing," the woman grinned and we were left alone again.

 

"I'm speechless," dad finally whispered and I couldn't help but grin and flash him a grin from under my bangs. 

 

"Yeah, I got that."

 

++Jacob++

 

I eventually managed to force myself to ask questions of my daughter, to listen to her responses, to fight off a lifetime of dogma. What struck me wasn't that she was happy, or content, or satisfied, though all of that was wonderful. What struck me was that she was… peaceful. Even in the good times, when Mark and Sam were children and Elizabeth was the loving bond that kept all of us safe and loved, Sam was rarely peaceful. It was as though she was forever to be quietly restless and driven. That drive had been perfect counterpart to her brilliant and complex intelligence, even if I had despaired as a father for her emotional health.

 

Art and Janet and Cassie and the imminent twins had brought her this peace. A calmness in the crystal blue eyes, the eyes that had remained that brilliant color since the day I'd first held her squirming little body in my arms.

 

Samantha hadn't cried once the shock of birth had passed, but fed quietly while Elizabeth spilled all the tears. When the nurse set her small weight in my arms, I knew I would never be the same, but this tiny girl child would mold me.

 

Serious, driven, nearly single-minded, Sam had been a bit of an outsider from the first. The landscape of her brilliance was a chasm few would cross. Not that I didn't have a mental scrapbook of some wonderful, normal fatherhood memories of my kids.

 

Those achingly familiar blue eyes were studying me intently. She looked so much like her mother…

 

"I'm sorry I took you away from Ainsley," I heard myself say and she jumped in shock. "It wasn't fair to either of you kids. I was so… so afraid of my own prejudices and afraid for you. I over-reacted to so much once your mother was gone." Imagine my grateful surprise when Sam placed her hands on my clenched fists. For once in my life, I didn't fight the tears that burned my eyes and made my throat ache. "I'm really glad they make you happy. If I'm ever an ass, know it's just old habits. I promise to change."

 

Sam's brilliant, loving smile told me that I had made the right choice.

 

++ Art ++

 

Bored and anxious, I danced from one foot to the other while I waited for flight 234 from Phoenix. Finally, the passengers were disembarking, and I was treated to the sight of father and daughter happily laughing and carrying on. Well, this was pleasant surprise. So was the look on Sam's face when she caught sight of me, my name squealed in happy delight. The feel of her slim body and her strong hug grounded me against my loneliness without her. 

 

"Missed you," I whispered, grinning when she turned her head to discreetly kiss my neck.

 

"Missed you too. I told my dad."

 

Okay, that was a peculiar sensation. Sort of terror mixed in with relief and a choking flood of adrenaline. Man, was I sick of living in fear…

 

"Told him?"

 

"Yeah. Believe it or not, I think we're okay. Selmack and time have been good for him."

 

Leaning away a bit from the hug, I looked into guileless blue eyes and was reassured. A glance at Jacob as the hug reluctantly fell away earned me a small smile. Guy still looked a little shell-shocked.

 

I knew how he felt.

 

The ride home was occupied with nonsensical conversations that stayed away from the pink elephant of Sam's relationship with Janet and I. Lucky was confused at my tension and Sam's relaxation, but kept quiet. At home, I sent the Carters in and immediately decided that the front walk needed shoveling. The physical exercise would clear my head and the lingering high of adrenaline. 

 

I had almost reached the sidewalk when a cough startled me into whirling around so fast; I dropped the snow shovel and very nearly put my ass in the snow bank I'd just created. Jacob smiled as he grabbed my elbows to steady me on the icy ground.

 

"Jeez man, you scared me."

 

"Sorry about that," he chuckled and then sobered abruptly. "Look. Sam told me what you and Janet have done for her. I have to say that I've never seen her like this, so calm and peaceful. So… so, thank you." Good thing I had a strong heart, or all the shocks today might have dropped me. Before I could stammer out something semi-intelligent, Jacob grew stern. "Don't you hurt her, Art. She adores you both, and she needs you."

 

"I'd rather kill myself then hurt her," I assured automatically. Jacob nodded decisively and took my right hand in his.

 

"Welcome to the family, Artemis."

 

It was Christmas all over again.

 

++ Janet ++

 

(1-3-00)

 

A gentle caress on my temple roused me from sleep and Art's delighted smile greeted me when I opened my eyes. It was good to see the relaxed expression after the stressful yet freeing weekend with Jacob. It was such a relief that we had survived this first major obstacle to our little threesome intact. Then there had been the exuberance of the New Year and the cleanup. There had been little time for bonding for the three of us.

 

Until last night.

 

Last night would live in my memories for a long, long time.

 

Instead of the expected kisses and flattery, Art gestured down our intertwined bodies with her chin. "Shh, look."

 

We were curled along either side of Sam's lanky body. She was still such a delightful novelty to us that the poor woman rarely fell asleep without being under the influence of a post-orgasmic buzz, and we'd been so damn glad to have her home again. So I trailed my gaze over the planes and hollows of her lean frame, half-covered by mine and Art's bodies. A soft moan bubbled up from Sam's chest, diverting my eyes up to her face. She was lost in some erotic dream, her features soft and wanting, a faint flush coloring her skin. Again Art made that strangled sound of amusement, obviously trying not to wake Sam. Then I suddenly figured out what was going on and my eyes flew down our intertwined bodies. My swollen belly was resting comfortably on Sam's hip, Art's leg thrown over her pale thighs. A small vibration rumbled against the twins, a warm, soft sound. Irreverent hysteria welled up when I confirmed the situation. Little Jaffa had found the small space between our bodies and was curled up in a tight ball in that blissfully warm place. 

 

Right over Sam's naked crotch. 

 

Purring like a small engine in lazy idle.

 

No wonder the tall woman was moaning. It had been a pleasant shock for all of us when shaving Sam completely naked from the neck down had made her so exquisitely sensitive. The stories of her first few days at work with the distraction had made me laugh and laugh. Of course, once I had gotten the humor out of my system, Sam had been thoroughly ravished. Now Jaffa's purring seemed to have gotten my sensitive blonde puppy all worked up in her sleep. Grinning wickedly, I reached down to lovingly stroke and caress the little ball of fur. Almost instantly, the cat's motor went up a few gears and Sam moaned again. Jaffa stirred as though she was waking and I gently soothed her back down. Only her delicate head came up to peer sleepily at me. So I obligingly scratched her chin and ears and the purr hit that rumbling pitch that could be heard clear across a large room. It still amazed me that such a tiny creature could make so much noise. Art wandered a lazy hand over Sam's smooth skin and I hungrily watched the movement. The contrast between their coloring never failed to get me hot and bothered. Ever so gently, that hand slipped beneath Jaffa, careful not to disturb the little cat. A deep kiss swallowed Sam's sharp moan, her body twisting sinuously beneath our combined weights. Torn between watching them kiss and the teasing stroking of the sensitive treasure between Sam's legs, I carefully lifted Jaffa's unresisting body away and shifted to the side to watch. Sam's body was mostly awake now, and responding beautifully to Art's lovemaking. Primed by Jaffa's innocent purring, she was writhing and clinging to Art's strong body. Dusky fingers dipped and stroked, Sam's hand wrapped around her wrist for support. Art propped herself up onto her other elbow to free her hand enough to tousle the soft gold hair. Lost in one another, my sweet puppies rode the unexpected pleasure until Sam cried out, the sound muffled by Art's mouth.

 

"Well, good morning sunshine," Art teased lightly as bleary blue eyes peered up at her. A prod from the fingers still buried in Sam's warmth earned a hiss and a grimace of pleasure.

 

"'Mornin'," Sam groaned. "I hate to say it, but I'm really glad the holidays are over."

 

"If you mean the privacy," Art chuckled. "Then I agree completely."

 

++ Karen ++

 

(1-15-00)

 

This had been the most fun any of us had had in ages. A big, family outing to the final days of a big 'Winter Wonderland' that the city of Denver had put up on the outskirts of town. Most of the grounds were quiet since the gift-giving was over, Santa's workshop and the craft fairs standing empty. Poor Emily had been traumatized that Santa was gone, until I patiently explained that he had returned to the North Pole to get ready for next Christmas. 

 

There was an ice-skating rink, a sledding hill and other winter fun scattered over a few acres. But, it was the throng of kids that had Emily and Cassie so happy. Having Art as their personal handler and playmate for the day helped. There were even horse drawn carriages on spindly rails that glided smoothly over the heavy snow. We'd pooled our resources and rented one for the entire day, much to the delight of the girl driving the thing. This was Janet's throne, and she was happily bundled in a mountain of fur and wool and fleece to keep her and the twins warm. Each of us grownups took turns keeping her company. Cooper pretty much hadn't left the carriage either, but Lucky gamely chased after handler and child alike, barking wildly as they played.

 

"Go figure that snow would break through that one's superior attitude," I mused and Janet laughed.

 

"She certainly loves the stuff. Nearly as much as Emily."

 

As though conjured up by our conversation, Emily floundered over, flushed with exertion and fun. "Hi baby."

 

"Up Kryn?"

 

"Of course." 

 

She was panting, but happy, and flopped boneless atop Janet's pile of warmth to babble in that half-coherent speech that she used when 'talking' to the babies. It was only recently that she had begun doing it, and really seemed to believe that they could hear her. It was very cute to hear her tell her exciting day to Janet's swollen belly.

 

Such a funny kid!


	20. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long wait for the new babies is over and Emily finally gets to meet Fawn face to face. When the excitement dies down, Art, Janet and Sam make plans for the future…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: NC-17
> 
> Pairings: Janet, Art and Sam.

++ Janet ++

 

(1-23-00)

 

Some indefinable sensation roused me from sleep. Around me, the house lay quiet and dark. What had woken me? A tense, ready sensation buzzed along my nerves to center low in my body. Oh yeah, I was hot and bothered. There was one loose body curled up near my knee, another at my shoulder. With a blind grope, I latched onto the nearest, instantly recognizing Sam's taste on my tongue. She moaned sleepily and began to respond to the lusty kiss even as Art stirred to life. A desperate groan coaxed Sam to arch over me, taking the lead in what I so obviously craved. Art began to kiss and caress my swollen body, driving my burning passion higher. It was a compulsion, fire under my skin, this need that threatened to short-circuit my nervous system. They had grown accustomed to my bouts of horny energy over the course of the pregnancy, so much so that Sam had dubbed them 'Gate fucks' because they were speedy and efficient. The term brought a whole new meaning to 'open the iris'. There was little preamble as Art settled herself in for a quick snack while Sam devoted herself to distracting the hell out of me. How I adored them and the single-minded attention they paid me. Not to mention their patience with my wild hormones and eclectic needs.

 

"Oh yeah," I groaned into Sam's mouth and felt her smile. "Right there love, please."

 

With a growl, Art did as I begged, sucking at me as though to pull my very soul from my body. Despite the awkward weight of the twins, I arched up into Sam and heard the sharp whine escape me.

 

"C'mere Sammy," I rasped, urgently tugging at her slim frame until she was crouched over my mouth. She tasted as good as ever, warm and wet and ready. A sharp cry at the ceiling told me she was pleased by the attention. I needed it so bad, the relief of the pressure inside that threatened to split me open if it didn't escape. It was a good thing Sam liked it a little rough as I fed from her with bruising intensity. Tighter and tighter the pressure spiraled until my whole universe became these women, the tiny lives growing within me and the bonds that drew us together.

 

It escaped from me like a flash flood, the blinding orgasm that ripped through me with a jolt that was almost painful in its intensity. Sam stiffened and she screamed along in chorus to my own release. A great weight was taken from me as though I had expelled a physical pressure that had been making me uncomfortable, and the sensation was electric. Then reality began to return as Sam weakly arched up a few inches to let me breathe more easily. There was a pool of wetness on the bed and the twins had settled heavily into my spine. Even as those peculiar feelings registered, an aftershock rumbled through my body.

 

Oh my…

 

"Um Jan, hon," Art managed to squeak out in a strangled voice as Sam scrambled for the bedside lamp. There was the proof in the glare of the light. Art was drenched from eyelashes to collarbones, the slightly thick liquid still running in rivulets over her skin. Despite the gravity of the situation, I began to laugh like a madwoman.

 

"Now that was an orgasm!" I crowed in delight as my body geared up for another warning contraction.

 

The time for our children had come.

 

Upon later reflection, I remember very little of what happened. Big surprise, considering that my lizard brain had pretty much taken over. It happened so damn fast that my co-workers never even got a chance to do more than help clean up and cart us all off to the Academy Hospital to be checked over. Cassandra arrived at Sam's yell, Art remained wrapped around my head and shoulders and helped talk me through it. I had no idea what she was saying, but the beloved voice helped keep me anchored. Lucky crouched on the edge of the crowded bed while the others howled along from the doorway. Then I felt it, a sudden relief from the driving force that had seized control of my body and mind.

 

"It's a girl," Sam called out in an awed voice and a moment later there was a wriggling weight on my chest. We stared at her, my love and I, in awe of her tiny presence there with us.

 

" _Orayos_ ," Art breathed quietly. "She's beautiful."

 

Then I hissed as the other made that first appearance into the world with a lusty cry that made my heart swell. After a moment, Sam sat beside me to settle the second against me. "And a boy," she whispered and made no attempt to stifle her tears.

 

Being fussed over by my peers passed in a haze that did little to interfere with the wonder I felt at having them in my arms. Both fed busily, creating a very different pressure. They were truly miraculous, tiny little people with fine shocks of inky hair that tousled into the loosest of curls and petite little noses that I knew would look just like mine. 

 

"How are you doing?" Art asked me quietly as she stroked her son's head with gentle fingertips. As though sensing her father's hand so close, our daughter flailed out weakly and she began to whine. Only when she had a firm grip on one of Art's fingers did she subside.

 

"Wonderful. Aren't they amazing?"

 

"Seven languages and I don't have the words."

 

++ Jack ++

 

(1-30-00)

 

This was gonna be a ton of fun. New babies in the clan, and a surprise that I could pull on multiple people. Pocketing the paperwork and the hinged box that almost looked like it contained jewelry, I met Sara at the front door. We'd felt odd going to see the new babies, Charlie's ghost never far from either of us. Together, we had the strength to carry on, and I was dying to finally meet the much-anticipated Fraiser twins.

 

It was Sunday, and they were a week old today. Since Janet had only been home from the hospital for a few days, we had let the new family alone. Thankfully for everyone's thin patience, Art had called several of us and invited us to a little get together to meet her son and daughter. It was to be a quiet and casual meeting, for they were both still tiny and bonding to their nuclear family. Since both she and Sam had gone on paternity leave, it would be good to see them again. This was pretty much SG1, Karen and Darya and the general.

 

It was Emily that met me at the door, yanking it imperiously out of Cassie's hand. "Unca Jack," she whispered in a hushed voice squeaky with repressed excitement. "Meet babies!"

 

"Yep," I whispered back, as though this were some glorious secrete to be shared. "Real soon. Are you being good?"

 

"Oh, yes, unca Jack. Want to see babies!"

 

"What do think their names will be?"

 

So far, the Fraiser family called the boy, Cubby, and his sister, Fawn. Today they would be named in an informal ceremony with what family was here.

 

"Dunno," Emily mused, even though I knew that she had been trying to guess for the whole week of anticipation. The girl was extremely into these new kids, and they weren't even blood. But, then again, we all were.

 

Cassie shut the door and hugged me. "Excited?" I had to ask and her silly grin grew even sillier.

 

"Like how. I heard them a little while ago, so it should be soon. Hi Sarah, glad you came too."

 

"Me too, sweetie. I'm glad that we could be here."

 

Sending the girl's off, I hugged my wife, who I had so very nearly lost forever. This was so bittersweet for her, and I admired her strength of character so much.

 

++ Darya ++

 

As exciting as this whole event was, I had to admit that there was an additional reason I was fidgety with impatience. Emily had been positively obsessed with this pregnancy, and I was completely curious to know why. It seemed like more than just the excitement of new children, but a real bond with the then-unborn twins. Janet had tenderly tolerated my toddler's fascination the same as she did Cooper's endless hovering. But Art… Art seemed to think the same thing I did.

 

There was something more to Emily's unwavering fascination in the last stages of the pregnancy. 

 

Voices in the stairwell hushed all of us, and Janet appeared, steadied by Cassie. "Hi guys," the new mom grinned brilliantly. "Thank you for coming. Art and Sam will be down in a second. We wanted you here, because we feel it's necessary that the twins know their extended family, now that they've had a week to bond with us. The SGC has provided us with a unique opportunity that most people in uniform don't get. We get to stay put." We all chuckled in agreement as Janet came over to sink into the couch beside me. "And all of you have something valuable to offer these kids. Here they are."

 

Art appeared first, tenderly cradling a bundle in her arms, Sam right behind her. "Hi guys," the proud father grinned and stepped over to me. "Hey Emily, I think this is the person you've been wanting so badly to meet."

 

My heart raced with the honor as Art knelt before me and leaned in so that I could gently accept the precious weight in her arms. Emily squirmed in impossibly close as I sat back to rest between hers and Janet's bodies.

 

From the pictures, I knew this was Fawn, the daughter. She was perfect, with wild black curls like her father and a soft, bronzy-gold tone to her silky skin. She was so light in my arms, almost unsubstantial, not like my Emily had been! Her little face squinched up as though she could sense the strange gazes on her and thick lashes fluttered.

 

"Hey baby," Janet cooed softly and little Fawn zeroed in on her mother's voice. Restless, her tiny body stirred and the dark eyes opened fully. Emily gasped and I smiled gently, not wanting to startle the infant. But her attention wasn't on me, but my two and a half year old daughter, all but hanging on my shoulder to see her little friend.

 

"There you are," Emily whispered reverently and Fawn smiled brilliantly. It was the sweetest thing I'd seen since holding my own daughter all that time ago. I felt the silver electricity of the connection between them. It was strange, yet oddly comforting to feel that Emily had, indeed, been waiting for something special. So, I kissed Emily's cheek and spoke very softly, so as not to disturb Fawn.

 

"I remember when you were this little. Well not quite this little. You were never this little, sweetie."

 

++ Art ++

 

Sharing an understanding look with Darya, I patted her knee and stood, content that my daughter was in good hands. There was something unusual about Fawn, and Emily had a strange connection that I didn't understand, but accepted. Zo had always been like that, outside the ordinary and beyond extraordinary. Sam was still standing alone, grinning happily at her new best bud in the universe, and Karen was craning her neck to see him.

 

Grabbing the big woman's arm, I dragged her over to Sam. "C'mere and meet Cubby. Since you're his godfather, so to speak, you should hold him."

 

"But," Karen objected half-heartedly, but carefully gathered up Cubby's tiny weight. In a glance, she was smitten and I traded a satisfied smile with Sam. "He's gorgeous."

 

"That's my boy," I chuckled in agreement to Karen's hushed assessment. Cubby stirred and yawned hugely, before sleepily opened his eyes. Both babies had been fearless since that first traumatic morning, which is one of the main reasons I felt comfortable sharing them with the others. Sure enough, Cubby was staring up at this complete stranger with quiet fascination. When Karen suddenly grinned like a complete idiot, he mimicked the happy expression.

 

"Oh wow," Karen whispered with a gleeful undertone. Cubby made a happy sound, his dark eyes flickering from me, to Sam, to the new lady holding him. Tiny fists waved in the air and his energetic legs kicked at Karen's bicep. "Hi, happy guy. Pleased to meet you." The emerald gaze rose and Karen flashed me the sweetly lopsided grin usually reserved for Emily. "So, what are their names?"

 

Raising my voice enough that the room could hear me, I answered, "Janet insisted that I keep Greek tradition and name them after their father. But I insisted that those became the middle names, which Greeks don't really do at all. So, the boy here is Jacob Artemesio, and his sister is Crystal Artemesia, after Sam's dad and Janet's mom. I think Fawn and Cubby have stuck though."

 

"Figures you gave them animal names," Karen teased and laughter rippled through the room. It was true, I had joking started calling them by their nicknames and it had stuck.

 

"At least I didn't start calling one of them a puppy."

 

++ Jack ++

 

The twins had charmed everyone thoroughly. Only Karen and Darya had been allowed to hold them outside their immediate family, but that was only right. They were so darn little and needed to feel safe. Being held by masses of strangers might be traumatic. The fun was broken up by Fawn abruptly squalling in objection to the world around her and Janet took her little daughter to comfort her. A discretely draped blanket let the irritated infant suckle to calm her. Cubby became a little upset in response to his twin, and Karen reluctantly let Sam collect him. Immediately, aunt and child were lost in quiet, babbling interaction.

 

This was a good a time as any, and I nodded at Hammond, who grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Hey, sarge," I said casually and Art looked at me with thoughtful amusement. 

 

"You don't really call me that off-base, O'Neill. What's up?"

 

"Me and the general were talking a few weeks ago and decided to slip you a Mickey Fin." Casually draping an arm around the woman's shoulders, I grinned evilly.

 

"Okay, I'm scared," Art joked and we all chuckled.

 

"We were talking about the president hitching you two up, and agreed that some idiot might get into his head that you two still broke a rule." Now there were several alarmed looks and I raised a placating hand. "Relax, we took care of it." Fishing into my pocket, I brought out the box we uniforms all recognized. "You're not in chevrons anymore, soldier. You've been promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 3." I stepped away and let the announcement sink in.

 

Art ran a curious finger over the bright silver bars with their triple black boxes etched into the metal. "This is because Janet's an officer, and I'm not."

 

"Yep. And President Bartlett said he was never happier to promote a Warrant Officer. You do realize that this promotion means that it came straight from him? You're truly a specialist now, what with the SGDs and all. We should have done this a long time ago."

 

Grinning, Art looked up and saluted smartly, which I quickly returned. We must have looked pretty silly, being dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, but the respect was still there. "Thank you, sir. Now I have to get used to yet another title."

 

++ Sam ++

 

The evening had been a huge success. The newborn twins had completely charmed the new circles of family in their lives, and the bond between all of us felt stronger and more intimate. The conversation had ebbed and flowed over the course of the get-together and a relaxed quiet had now fallen over us. In the warm glow of the fire and the kitchen lights spilling in, I studied these precious people. There were a million memories and an entire chapter of my life in this room.

 

My eyes drifted down to where Cassie had fallen asleep with her head in my lap, her little brother's feet dangling against her hair. Cubby was dead asleep on my chest, his ear nestled down against my steady heart. This was my favorite spot to have him, and he seemed to really like it. Fawn liked me too, but Cubby and I had a bond that no one could deny. All kinds of primitive urges were stirred up with these tiny lives in the family now.

 

It affected everyone; I could tell when they had interacted with the twins over the evening. We grown-ups were being very careful to get Cassie to interact with her new siblings and all three of us. There was no way that we wanted her to feel neglected. Janet was snuggled into my side with Fawn, both of them more asleep than awake. Emily was snuggled into the small space amidst our bodies, still wanting to be near Fawn.

 

I reached out to stroke Emily's sunset curls, my feelings conflicted. "She's her cutest like this," Karen chuckled into the quiet. "This would normally be about the time I'd carry her off to bed."

 

It was an easy image to conjure up, Karen's strong gentleness gathering up Emily's limp body and putting her to bed. I stared down at Cubby, so soft and trusting against me. I wanted that.

 

I wanted to be able to be here for them more than I was.

 

But how? SG1 took so much of my time…

 

Looking up, I wasn't particularly surprised to see the men of my team looking squarely at me. This had been a bittersweet evening for all three of them. Jack, and his ever-present loss of Charlie. Teal'c and his promise to one day return to the planet of his birth and his son. Daniel, still mourning the loss of the wife who kept him going for so long. Why did we keep pressing on so hard?

 

Was it worth it? 

 

++ Art ++

 

Pleasantly tired from the little party, I gave the living areas a critical glance before shutting out the lamp. Janet got agitated when the place was a mess and shouldn't be straining herself, so the rest of us had distributed out her chores. The others had all headed off to bed some time ago, and now it was just me and Lucky.

 

So, I knelt and pulled my partner into a headlock/body hug that made her squirm and play-fight back. "Good girl, such a good girl, aren't you? Either you're being coy, or Coop's shooting blanks. I want to see your pups, gorgeous. Bed time."

 

Lucky led me up the stairs and curled up in her usual spot just outside the door, where I'd built in an alcove for her, complete with thick carpeting and old blankets as bedding. I stayed there, crouched in the hall, for some time, just stroking her head and looking into the soulful eyes. Then Lucky seemed to sense that I wouldn't leave until she rested and her eyes slid closed.

 

I spent a few more moments remembering the impact this beloved animal had affected in me, as well as her burlier predecessor. Choked up with all the goodness that was within this house, I left my canine partner to sleep. There were a couple of gorgeous women and two precious babies that I needed to concentrate on now.

 

The master bedroom was bathed in candlelight that washed over the familiar sights within. There was an oversized bassinet near where Janet was curled up on her side. Leaving her to sleep, I went for the bathroom, where the slightly open door gleamed with soft light. 

 

Sam made an attractive picture, sprawled back in the huge tub we'd installed that was big enough for four. For a long moment I stood and watched her face, a study in relaxation and tension. Something had been bugging her most of the night and I wanted to help if I could. Since she was wearing headphones, there was no way to get her attention without startling her. And startling Sam Carter could be potentially dangerous.

 

++ Sam ++

 

Something skittered across my perceptions and my eyes flew open. Adrenaline flooded my system, body tensing in preparation of fight or flight. Then my upper brain wrestled control from the lower brain and smacked the later into submission. Art hovered just out of arm's reach, looking amused, a little sheepish and all loving. Yanking off the headphones and cutting off Venus Hum in mid 'I Feel Love', I smiled at my dark lover. "Hey."

 

Art knelt and stroked one deft hand through my short hair, caressing my temple and scalp. The last of the lingering adrenaline left me then, my heart steadying in her warm presence. "Want some company?"

 

That was just like Art, to give me some mental space before starting to ask me what was bugging me. And I got the pleasure of watching her strip naked. Fluidly, the t-shirt came off, making the muscles along her belly flex around the scar. Catching my eyes, Art grinned and pulled off the sports bra much the same way. The soft cotton garment was still all she wore, in deference of the tender sensitivity of the scar ridge. Then the lower half came clean, and I sighed happily. Art was such a gorgeous woman.

 

When I shifted to move, she waved me down. "Stay. I'll make myself comfy." Carefully, Art climbed in and settled herself between my legs and leaning against my chest and tummy. We both sighed happily and I wrapped my arms around her strong frame. "Much better."

 

"I agree," was all I could think to reply, to caught up in her closeness and my racing thoughts. It was a surprise that I had even dozed off in the first place. The quiet between us was soothing, the drip of water as I lazily ran my warm hands over Art's skin, the tinny strains of the headphones and the cadence of our breathing. In time, I began to speak softly. "I was thinking to myself… that maybe, this is only maybe, you understand, that I should take a more backseat role at the SGC."

 

Deep blue eyes regarded me thoughtfully, and I smiled faintly when Art kissed my jaw. "Oh? What kind of role?"

 

Her patience and kindness and calm once again grounded me, as it had so often before. "I don't know. I love being on the flagship team, I really do… but."

 

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Art mused.

 

++ Janet ++

 

I'd only been dozing, but was too relaxed to move when Art had slipped in. Now, I was sprawled loosely in the bed, listening to my lovers talk.

 

"Maybe it's too soon," Art questioned hesitantly. "There really isn't anyone that can match SG1's skills and experience."

 

"Yeah," Sam reluctantly agreed and I heard water sloshing as one of them moved around. "Just something to think about, y'know?"

 

"Quite. Having babies in the house changes all kinds of priorities. Now, if Lucky would just get knocked up!"

 

Their low laughter finally drew me from the warm bed and a padded towards the light. For a moment, neither noticed me and I could feast on the sight of them wet and naked. Sam looked faintly startled when she noticed me, bringing Art's head around. "Hey baby," the later purred and I sighed happily to myself.

 

"Well, since I can't enjoy you two in my favorite carnal ways for another five weeks," I lamented and tugged my sleep shirt over my head. "A bath cuddle sounds like fun." 

 

Sam ran some more warm water while I climbed in and snuggled down into Art. Their four hands caressed me lovingly, soothingly, and I relished the attention. While I was still self-conscious about the weight I'd put on for the twins, and my misshapen belly, neither seemed to mind. Stretch marks adorned my middle, battle-scar proof of my sweet babies. Those I would wear with pride for the rest of my days. Art's hands soothed over my still-sore body, while Sam caressed my skull and shoulders.

 

"Couldn't ask for anything better than you two," I hummed lazily and was rewarded with little kisses on my face. Opening my eyes again, I studied my two lovers, dark and light. "I love you two. I really do."

 

The simple declaration earned me stereo delighted smiles and more kisses. Ah, this was the life!

 

**THE END**

**Now go read Refractions!**

 

 

 

* = <http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/insignias/officers.html>

Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The lowest ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but they receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2. These commissioned warrant officers are direct representatives of the president of the United States. They derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists. There are no warrant officers in the Air Force.


End file.
